Here and There
by KetaPhex
Summary: Hwoarang's life,how he came to be, and how he met the people he knows and loves,etc. here we go,we finally have a nice R rating,yaoi in chapters 9 and 13, so be careful dammit! (Jin x Hwoarang)im trying to think of a new title,any ideas let me know!
1. A Mother too Young

A doorstep. Any doorstep would do just so long as she could get rid of him. She looked down the darkened street and brushed her rain-soaked hair from her eyes. One house, set slightly back from the road had lights on in the front room. She sighed thankfully and walked up to it, making sure to stay hidden in the shadows of the surrounding trees. The bundle in her arms squirmed and made a little squeak before settling back down into sleep. She looked down at the baby's little round face, and wondered if she was doing the right thing. Sixteen was too young to have a child of her own, but she still felt it wrong to leave him with a total stranger, with no guarantee of good care. She sighed and stepped back from the house. 'No...I can't...'  
  
The baby moved again and let out a choked cry, and she could tell he was unwell. There was the hospital, only a mile or so away from here, but then she would be expected to take responsibility of the child, it wasn't as though she could just run from him once they were there. The other option, and what seemed like the better one, was the orphanage on the other side of town. Nuns ran it, she hated nuns, but at least there was a better possibility of the baby getting the care he needed from someone who knew what they were doing, rather than a naïve sixteen year old girl who had made the biggest mistake of her life eleven months ago. She wasn't cut out for motherhood, not yet, and probably not ever. She flagged down a cab and asked the driver to take her as far as her pathetically small amount of money would allow.  
  
"That your kid, honey?" the driver asked, looking in the rear view mirror upon the ashen face of his young passenger. She nodded and jumped, startled when the baby gurgled softly and tugged on her shirt button.  
  
"Kinda young aintchya?" he asked, "How old is he?"  
  
"Two months" she answered, pulling his tiny hand off the button and wrapping the blanket around him tighter. The cab turned a corner and stopped outside a closed café. She handed the driver the money and climbed out. The baby sighed, and she looked up into the starlit sky.  
  
"Why me?" she asked, hoping someone was listening. The rain started to fall heavier now, and she hurried along the street. The huge building of the orphanage loomed ahead, and she made her way for it, keeping her head down against the vicious onslaught of wind and rain. The doors were closed; she lifted the huge iron knocker and let it fall against the wood softly.  
  
A light came on inside and the huge wooden door creaked open. An old woman's face appeared in the crack between the door and frame. She was in her nightgown and had a woollen shawl draped over her old, hunched shoulders. She looked up with tired eyes at the young girl before her.  
  
"Can I help you, dear?" The girl nodded quickly and pushed the child into the old woman's arms. "Forgive me, my son..." she said, then turned and ran back down the path to the street, tears flowing down her face. The woman stood, dumbfounded in the doorway, with the squirming baby in her arms. He cried hoarsely.  
  
"Nasty cold you have there" she said, still looking down the street "let's get you some medicine."  
  
She closed the door over, and another woman came down the stairs to her side.  
  
"Who was it, Sister?"  
  
"I don't know, a young girl, she left..." The other woman gasped when she saw the child in the Sister's arms, chewing on the corner of its baby blue blanket.  
  
"Did she give a name?"  
  
"No, she just threw him at me then left, she looked so young and scared..."  
  
"Tell the reverend mother in the morning, I'll take him for now." The older woman handed the child over to the younger Sister and locked the doors again. She looked again into the child's bright green eyes, and he took time out of chewing the blanket to return her gaze.  
  
"Come on little mister" the Sister said, "let's get you fed and changed hmm?"  
  
The older nun made her way slowly up the stairs, gripping the polished wooden banister for support. She looked back over her shoulder to the Sister holding the baby.  
  
"Put him in room four with the others when you're done Sister Rose." Sister Rose nodded and took the child into the kitchen and fed him from a freshly made bottle. She changed him and put the blanket into the laundry basket, dressing the child in a white baby grow. She took him down the hall towards the rooms and entered room four quietly. The room, painted in pastel blues and pinks, had little wooden cribs lined up against both walls, two rows of five. Toys were piled neatly in the corners and each crib had a little wall plaque with the name of its occupant engraved on it. Sister Rose laid the little boy into an empty crib, the plaque above which said 'Jessica', being the name of its previous occupant.  
  
She pulled the soft blanket up over the little body and waited for him to settle. He wriggled into the cover and his eyes fluttered a little before closing softly. Sister Rose smiled warmly.  
  
"Goodnight, little one" she whispered, and left the room, switching the nightlight on as she neared the door. Its gentle green glow flooded the room, but the children did not stir. She closed the door and switched out the hall lights on her way back upstairs. The building was silent for now. 


	2. Sweet Sixteen

Hwoarang looked up at the clear blue sky and smiled. The grass beneath him felt soft on the bare skin of his back. He sighed happily. Life, today anyway, was good. He sat up and shook his head. The younger kids were running around the field playing tag or something of the sort, and he remembered how he used to play that with Mina and Kei before Mina found a new home. One of the smaller ones fell over and scraped his knee, leaving green streaks from the grass down his leg. He started bawling and Sister Gloria came running out of the building. She picked the boy up and carried him back into the building, pausing to tell Hwoarang to put his shirt back on before he got burned. He groaned in protest but did as he was told. The hot Korean summer was in full blow and the last thing he wanted right now was clothes.  
  
Kei wandered over holding two glasses of freshly squeezed lemonade with huge chunks of ice floating in them. He sat on the grass and handed one to Hwoarang.  
  
"How long until your birthday now?" Kei asked, taking a sip of the cool drink.  
  
"A week, then I'm so outta here."  
  
"I can't believe you're nearly sixteen already, it doesn't seem that long ago when I broke my arm climbing that tree" Kei said, pointing over to and old apple tree in the fields centre. Hwoarang laughed at the memory.  
  
"Hey! It wasn't funny!" Kei protested, although unable to stop a smirk appearing on his face.  
  
"I know" he said, "I'm just kinda glad I'm gonna be out of this place soon. I guess I should be thankful that taxi guy came forward, otherwise how would I know when my own birthday was?"  
  
"True" Kei agreed "so what are you planning on doing when you get out?" Hwoarang looked over the field at the kids, then at the building. He couldn't deny that he was going to miss this, but he would have all the freedom he wanted once he left, and that was what he looked forward too.  
  
The Reverend Mother had already gotten him a place to live, nothing fancy, just a cosy little apartment in town with a rent he could afford with his benefits. He lay back onto the grass and propped himself up on his elbows.  
  
"Your birthday's in October, right?" he asked Kei. Kei nodded in reply and took another mouthful of his drink.  
  
"So, you're gonna be out of here soon too." Kei smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Yeah I know, but it's hardly next week is it? I mean it's a while off when you put it in perspective."  
  
"Well," Hworarang started "at least you're not still ten and trying to climb over the back wall with me." They laughed and went back to drinking the lemonade. Sister Rose appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. She had an old blue shawl about her shoulders and her face, though tired and lined now, still always had a smile. She called out for everyone to come in for dinner.  
  
Hwoarang pushed himself lazily up from the grass and downed the last of his lemonade. They handed their glasses to Sister Rose on their way in, and after Kei had gone into the dining room, she stopped Hwoarang.  
  
"It's hard to believe" she started "that he little baby I held in my arms nearly sixteen years ago has grown up into the wonderful young man I see before me." Hwoarang grinned cheekily, as he always did.  
  
"That's because I've had the best lot of ladies looking after me that I could have ever wished for." Sister Rose smiled at him warmly, a little tear coming to her old grey eye.  
  
"You're sure your doing the right thing next week?" He nodded, "I'm sure." He walked into the dining room and took a seat next to Kei, the other children looking up at them admiringly. They were the oldest in the orphanage now and the set role models for the kids. Dinner was served and they all ate enthusiastically, except Hwoarang, his thoughts were elsewhere, thinking about how he would never have to eat Sister Clarise's rather bland cooking again, and how pizza and takeaways would suit him fine for the rest of his life.  
  
**** He woke up last as usual, and slumped downstairs in his usual bad morning mood. No one was inside the kitchen and none of the kids were running up and down the halls as they usually did. Hwoarang scratched at the back of his neck, the length of his red hair was starting to irritate him, but damn if he was getting it cut. He ran the tap of the sink and filled a glass with water. He drank half then looked up at the clock, bemused that he was actually awake and up before noon. He stretched and yawned. He finished the water, setting the glass back on the marigold yellow worktop and pulling his t-shirt that he had been carrying on. He heard a giggling from the doorway behind him, and turned to find one of the little girls standing there, nervously twisting her raven black hair around her finger.  
  
"Good Morning Kimi" he greeted her. She giggled and ran up to him. He knelt down and gave her a hug.  
  
"Sister Rose is in the common room," she said in a cute little voice "she said she wants to talk to you."  
  
Hwoarang nodded and followed Kimi to the room next door. The lights flickered on, practically blinding him and there was a deafening shout of  
  
"SUPPRISE!!!" Hwoarang genuinely was surprised. He grinned widely and started laughing.  
  
"Happy birthday!" Sister Rose cried, embracing him tightly. The kids jumped up at him, all wanting to get a hug off the birthday boy. Kei handed him a little parcel, which he unwrapped eagerly, revealing a pendant of a silver eagle.  
  
"Happy birthday, Talon" he said, smiling. Hwoarang grinned at the memory of his childhood nickname and hugged Kei while the kids bounced around his feet, grabbing mercilessly at the black denim of his jeans. He secured the pendant around his neck and led the way over to the long table in the centre of the room. Food was piled onto it, cakes and mini sausages on cocktail sticks, just finger food mainly but all looking as delicious as ever. Sister Clarise had outdone herself.  
  
She came through the kitchens swinging door, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies and set them down o the table. The kids swamped around them tray, devouring the sweet treats while Hwoarang sat down with Kei and let them enjoy themselves. Sister Rose came back in, followed by the Reverend Mother. The frail old woman sat across from Hwoarang and smiled lovingly at him.  
  
"This time tomorrow, we shall all be saying goodbye to you," she said. Her eyes grew sad, "It was a pleasure having you here Hwoarang, I think I speak for us all when I say you will be greatly missed." He nodded; it seemed more appropriate then just sitting there with nothing to say.  
  
"Just do us all a favour, and don't go getting yourself into too much trouble, okay?" Sister Rose added.  
  
"Well, I can't promise anything" he said, grinning "but I'll try!" Sister Rose reached over and ruffled his hair. "Now, go and have some fun." He practically leapt out of the chair and, followed by Kei, ran for the door and out into the garden where a huge game of Hide-and-Seek with the kids commenced. 


	3. Pepperoni and Tomato, please

Hwoarang still had tears in his eyes by the time he arrived at the apartment building. He pulled his bag further up onto his shoulder and pressed the intercom button. It crackled a bit before a voice came back.  
  
"Yeah?" it quizzed.  
  
"Um, it's Hwoarang, the new tenant?"  
  
There was a pause and more crackling before the voice came back.  
  
"Oh yea, I remember, you're the kid the birds at the orphanage sent right?"  
  
"Yeah, that's me."  
  
"Hold on kid, I'll buzz ya in."  
  
The door buzzed and Hwoarang pushed it open, dragging his single suitcase with him. Someone Hwoarang could only presume was the landlord stood to greet him.  
  
"Bernie West's the name," he said, taking Hwoarang's hand in one of his greasy paws and pumping it up and down heartily. He handed Hwoarang a key with '203' printed on the overly large tag. Hwoarang thanked him and dragged his suitcase over to the elevator.  
  
"That doesn't work" Bernie informed him "she gets stuck about halfway up the shaft. I've been meaning to get her fixed but..." he trailed off, and Hwoarang sighed exasperatedly.  
  
"Need any help with that?" Bernie asked, motioning to the suitcase.  
  
"No thanks" Hwoarang said, dreading the thought of the mans greasy mitts all over his possessions "I can manage." He heaved the case up the stairs, checking the fading signs at every floor, and finally, after four flights, found the floor he needed. 203 was halfway down and by the looks of things (and the distinct absence of a door on 204) he had the floor to himself.  
  
He opened the door and stepped into the apartment. It was depressingly bare, but ever the optimist, Hwoarang stuck to the theory that paint and carpets could work wonders. The main room had a worn two-seater couch and a phone on the small table at its side. He sighed miserably when he realised there was no TV, and went to check out the kitchen, which was small, cramped and painted sunshine yellow. 'Oh well, at least it has a fridge' he thought. It also had a cooker, but he wasn't brave enough to try using it yet since it looked as though it had been there since the French Revolution. What would become his bedroom was so far the best room in the house. It had a double bed with an iron frame and a mattress, a wardrobe and a huge window looking out onto a courtyard at the back of the building. The courtyard looked as though it was privately owned, the metal railings around it were a dead giveaway.  
  
Hwoarang dumped his suitcase in the bedroom and wandered into the bathroom. A shower, sink and toilet, all he really needed. His stomach groaned at him painfully. 'Pizza' he thought. He went back to the sitting room and lifted the phones receiver. There was no dialling tone. He swore when he realised the connection cord was broken and decided to go out into town and find a pizza place, he had his heart set on a pepperoni and tomato fourteen inch. He picked up his keys and left, locking up on the way out. There may not have been anyone else on the floor, but he wasn't about to take any chances. He put the key in his jeans pocket and went down the stairs, bumping into Bernie on the way out.  
  
"Where are you off to?" his landlord asked, wiping a greasy hand across his vest which was probably supposed to be white but had a sickening brown-grey tint to it.  
  
"I just felt like pizza for dinner" Hwoarang explained "I would have called out but the phones connection is bust." Bernie nodded. "Yeah, I've been meaning to get that fixed. Anyway, there's a good pizza place in town called Tony's Toppings, check it out."  
  
Hwoarang thanked him and left, going round to the back of the building and past the courtyard his bedroom window over looked. He glanced in through the bars and saw a figure performing some kind of martial arts manoeuvres. Hwoarang stopped to watch. The figure punched in front of himself, then turned, doing the same again, then leapt up and did an amazingly impressive high kick. He landed just as gracefully, and spotted Hwoarang at the fence. Hwoarang smiled nervously and he stranger smiled back. He walked over to Hwoarang and greeted him.  
  
"You're new in town, right?" he asked. Hwoarang nodded.  
  
"I've just moved into the apartments next door, I'm Hwoarang."  
  
"Baek, nice to meet you Hwoarang." Hwoarang smiled to seem friendly, though at the moment he was wary of everyone in the neighbourhood and for all he knew, this Baek was a crazy axe-wielding murderer. Bake leaned against the iron fence and pulled his jet-black hair out of the ponytail, then retied it neater.  
  
"What was that? What you were doing before, I mean" Hwoarang asked.  
  
"Tae Kwon Do" Baek answered, "martial arts, I specialise in it."  
  
"Oh" Hwoarang said, feeling like kicking himself at how stupid he probably sounded, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.  
  
"Why? Are you interested in learning?"  
  
Hwoarang looked up. "For real?"  
  
"Sure. I've not had a decent student in a while, I'll be happy to mentor you, hell, I'll do it for free."  
  
Hwoarang was a little taken aback. Tae Kwon Do looked like fun, and the last thing he wanted was to be sitting o his arse all day at home with nothing to do.  
  
"Okay" he said, accepting the invitation "when do I start?"  
  
"Tomorrow morning if you like, at about eleven?"  
  
He nodded "I'll be there."  
  
"Great!" Baek exclaimed, "I'll look forward to it. See you tomorrow then." Hwoarang turned and left, bidding Baek goodbye and made his way into town on the lookout for Tony's. He found it just a little way from the apartment building, and at first glance thought it would be a better idea to try elsewhere. The restaurant looked run-down and uninviting from the outside, but through the windows, he saw customers sat at the tables, laughing and generally having a good time. Plus, the food looked irresistible. He went I and sat at an empty table, waiting for someone to take his order. A woman came over in time. She was skinny with curly brown hair and huge framed glasses. She tottered over in her ridiculously high heels and produced a little pad and pencil.  
  
"What'll it be sugar?" she asked brightly, grinning widely revealing her dental braces. She was probably no older than eighteen, but had the makeup application skills of your average six year old.  
  
"Pepperoni and tomato, fourteen inch please."  
  
"Deep pan or Italian?"  
  
"Deep pan I guess..."  
  
"Anything to drink?"  
  
Hwoarang looked up at her, She didn't know his age, it was worth a shot.  
  
"Lager?"  
  
She laughed at him, her grin spreading wider and making her look like a crazed clown. She sighed at him amusedly.  
  
"How old are you honey?"  
  
"Eighteen" he lied.  
  
She giggled again. "I don't think so, but tell you what, since you were bold enough to try, have one anyway, you look like you need it."  
  
He gave her a cute little smile and thanked her, and she disappeared, coming back a minute later with a bottle and a glass.  
  
He ignored the glass and drank straight from the bottle. The last time he had had alcohol was when he and Kei had been about twelve. They had somehow managed to 'acquire' some Jack Daniels from the off licence down the road from the orphanage, and Sister Clarise had caught them drinking it in the bathroom. He had suffered the worst hangover in history and vowed never to drink the stuff straight again. He stared out over the other occupants of the restaurant, all looking relatively friendly and chatting to each other. He gaze fell upon a table a little way from his, occupied by three boys of about his age. They were looking around cautiously, and had a shifty aura about them. He grinned. He knew street punks when he saw them, and also knew that, if luck should come his way, he would probably be one himself soon. That lifestyle had always fascinated him, the very idea of adventure made him excited. One of the boys looked him square in the eye, the corner of his mouth turning up a little into a sly smile. He nodded at Hwoarang, and he nodded back. The other boy turned to his companions and whispered something, motioning in Hwoarang's direction with his eyes. The two others looked at him, and he started to feel uneasy.  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his waitress tottering back over with his pizza. She set it down and glared at the boys.  
  
"Don't you go getting yourself mixed up with the likes of them" she warned "they're bad boys honey, all gonna be inside by the time they're twenty if they carry on that way." She went over to their table and asked for their bill money. The boy who had spotted Hwoarang handed it over and they stood up o leave. He flicked his long, blonde hair over his shoulder and smirked at Hwoarang. His look said 'I'll-be-seeing-you-soon', and Hwoarang sincerely hoped he would not be seeing him, ever again for that matter. He wolfed his pizza, washing it down with the rest of his beer, left the money on the table including a tip for the waitress, and left. He looked both ways up the street before walking any distance away from the door, and satisfied no one was around he made his way home. It was dark by now, and he hurried down the alley next to the apartment building, past Baek's yard and to the doors of the apartments. He went in quickly, and screamed when a hand planted itself on his shoulder.  
  
"Someone was just here, dropped some things of for you."  
  
He turned, relieved that it was only Bernie.  
  
"Shit Bernie, don't do that okay?"  
  
"Sorry kid, but some Sister has just been here and left some stuff of yours. Sister Ruso, or Reso, something like that."  
  
"Rose, and thanks Bernie." He took he boxes, balancing them precariously, up the stairs and to his room. They contained some things he had left, little trinkets mostly but some clothes too and a few plates and cups that the Sisters had collected for him. He left the boxes in the sitting room and dug out a towel. The shower called. He went to the bathroom and stripped off, deciding to burn the shirt he had been wearing of at least run bleach over the part where Bernie had touched it. He turned the shower on and climbed in.  
  
"SHIT!!! FUCK!!! COLD!!! COOOOOOOOLD!!!!!!" he called out, and leapt out of it. He turned it off angrily, and stalked back across the hall to the bedroom. He collapsed on the bed and curled up in the sheets, drifting off into a very pissed off sleep.  
  
***  
  
"I hate this building!!!" Hwoarang screamed when he woke up the next morning, cold and shivering having discovered that the heating had died at some point during the night. He pulled on some jeans and stormed into the living room to make sure. The thermostat was on, but the heating wasn't. He growled angrily and made himself some toast to take his mind off how much he felt like bludgeoning Bernie with his own shoes. The toaster apparently didn't work either, so he ate the bread dry, drank some water and glanced at the clock.10.15 AM, he remembered about arranging to go for a training session with Baek, and groaned. He went back to his room and pulled on a t- shirt, an old Guns n Roses one with the sleeves torn off. He put on his shoes and left the apartment, slamming the door on his way. Bernie was apparently still asleep, but being the big fool he was, hadn't locked the front doors anyway. Hwoarang left the building and went down the alley to Baek's yard.  
  
Baek was already there, kitted out in his Gi and waiting for Hwoarng. He let him in and looked at his choice of clothing.  
  
"Now, I love Guns n Roes as much as the next guy, but you can't really train in those jeans." He disappeared inside his house, then came back, holding a white Gi and hand protectors.  
  
"These will do for now, until you get your own, go and get changed then we can get started."  
  
Hwoarang did as he was told and went into Baek's home. It was nicer than his apartment by far, for a start Baek had decent furniture and carpets. He changed quickly and went back into the courtyard.  
  
"That's more like it, now, follow my lead."  
  
Hwoarang did so, and continued to do so for the next week. But he progressed quickly and was soon winning little sparring matches against Baek. He was proud of himself, and quickly got his own training gear, even bothering to pay extra to get his name embroidered across the back of the blue top half of his training wear. He was equally as please when Baek gave him his own set of keys so he could use the courtyard to train whenever he felt like it.  
  
"You know" Baek said to him one day, after being well and truly wiped out by Hwoarang "You're the best student I've ever had, and I've been mentoring young boys like you since I was nineteen. Well done."  
  
Hwoarant grinned happily. He finally felt fulfilled, and was dying to put his new skills to use. He went home that night in a good mood, and didn't even get pissed when Bernie came up to ask for that months rent. The sitting room was taking shape, although there were numerous pots of paint lying around, and his bedroom was totally finished. At last, the bitch called life was giving him a well-deserved time out. 


	4. Let's see what you can do

There was no training today. Baek was out of town on some form of business and Hwoarang had spent the whole day trying to entertain him self at the arcade in town, using up all his spare change on the machines. And loosing on most of them convinced the damn things were fixed to make him loose and get as much money out of his pockets as possible. He sighed and gave in after loosing the cute little plush puppy on the grabber machine for the third time. You never won anything on those things anyway. He wandered out of the arcade and down the street, past various hotdog and kebab stands that were being swamped by drunks as they stumbled out of the clubs for the night. It was just an average Friday night in this part of town, the street punks were waiting around for some unsuspecting drunk to stumble upon them, and as usual there was no sign of the police. No one bothered to call them out to this neighbourhood. Hwoarang bought a drink from an open newsagent with his last bit of change and started the walk home.  
  
He spotted an alleyway, and walked cautiously past it. Voices came from deep in the darkness and he hurried past, hoping they hadn't spotted him. Too late. He felt himself being pulled back and pushed up against a wall. A strong hand held him there by his throat.  
  
"Empty your pockets" his attacker said, quietly but firmly.  
  
"Fuck you," Hwoarang choked out. His attacker punched him hard across the face.  
  
"Now now, there's no need for harsh language. Just do as I ask and you wont get hurt."  
  
"Bit fucking late for that" Hwoarang spat back at him. Another figure appeared at the firsts side, and Hwoarang saw something glint in his hand that very clearly said 'gun'. He didn't panic. Instead he brought his legs up and planted them on his attackers chest, shoving him back into the other person. When the latter got up, he high kicked; dislodging the gun from their hand then grabbed their arm and twisted it up their back.  
  
His victim screamed in pain and Hwoarang picked the gun up, aiming it at the other attacker. He put his hands up.  
  
"Shit, don't shoot, it was a joke man, seriously!" he pleaded  
  
"Ha fucking ha, very bloody funny" Hwoarang said sarcastically. The other boy stepped forward into the light, his long blonde hair falling over his face.  
  
"You?! Oh my god you're the guy from Tony's!" he said, startled.  
  
"Yeah, so what if I am?"  
  
"Shit! Seriously man if I'd known it was you I wouldn't have touched you!"  
  
Hwoarang eyed him suspiciously.  
  
"Where are you going with this?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, sorry! I'm Xion, and he's Ripley. Let him go, and I'll explain it all!"  
  
Hwoarang laughed manically, pulling on Ripley's arm and making him cry out again.  
  
"Yeah sure! I'll let him go and you're gonna attack me again! I don't think so!"  
  
"No!" Xion protested," we're not gonna do that, hell no! Not after I've just seen what you can do!"  
  
Hwoarang thought about it, then released Ripley slowly, keeping his guard up. Xion breathed a sigh of relief and Ripley rubbed at his arm.  
  
"Okay, we saw you in Tony's the other week, we've got that straight. After seeing your performance just then, I've got no choice but to ask you to join us! You just looked like proper street punk material and now you've just proven you are!"  
  
"Join you?"  
  
"Yeah! I know it sounds like some stupid little cult or something but one of the guys is moving to America next week and we kinda need to replace him with someone half decent."  
  
Hwoarang thought it over. Becoming a street punk sounded like a hell of a lot of fun, and it seemed so right that that's what he should be. He looked at Xion's eager face. It was a rash decision; he knew that, but what the hell, if he didn't like it he could just walk, right?  
  
"Who leads you guys?" he asked. "Blood Wing, or James if you prefer. We all kinda have nicknames, makes it safer really. There's a point, what's your name?"  
  
"Hwoarang."  
  
"Got a nickname already?"  
  
Hwoarang thought about it, and a smile grew on his face. He held onto the silver eagle pendant that was around his neck.  
  
"Talon" he said.  
  
"Talon?" Xion repeated "Nice. Original. Come on anyway, I'll take you to Wing." Hwoarang followed him down the alleyway, Ripley behind them grumbling about his arm feeling broke in at least two places.  
  
The alley opened up into a parking lot outside an abandoned warehouse. There were others there, all boys of different ages though none of them looked younger than fourteen. Xion led them into the warehouse, past the others who looked on curiously. Besides Xion and Ripley, only about five of them seemed to be Hwoarang's age, and they followed them inside. Near the back, three boys were stood over a huddled figure on the ground, shouting and swearing something about 'betrayal' and 'money'. Xion coughed to make his presence known, and one of them turned around.  
  
"Brought this guy to see you Wing. His name's Hwoarang but he wants to use Talon, if that's cool with you."  
  
"Sure" Wing answered, "welcome aboard Talon. Where do you live?"  
  
Hwoarang gave Wing his address and contact number since he had actually managed to persuade Bernie to sort the phone line out.  
  
"Age?"  
  
"Sixteen. Seventeen next month."  
  
"Great, no problem. Xion, get him settled will ya? The Hoods are gonna be showing up soon, we need everyone here and ready okay?"  
  
Xion nodded and led Hwoarang out.  
  
"Hoods?" Hwoarang quizzed him.  
  
"Rival gang. They think they're pretty good when it comes to fights and all that. That's what we do by the way, put bets on fighters, win money and loose it. Mostly we win, but we've never fought the Hoods before" Xion explained.  
  
Hwoarang nodded his understanding, and smirked. Fighting sounded good, and regardless of how tough the Hoods thought they were, he was up for it. Ripley disbanded the younger boys and told them all to go home. As it turned out, they weren't actually part of the gang, just wannabes who got a kick out of telling their friends they hung around with street punks at night. The rest of the gang appeared from various alleys and streets surrounding the parking lot, most laden down with bags that obviously contained stolen goods. They all stood in a circle in the parking lot, talking, scraping and arguing, awaiting the arrival of the Hoods. There were quite a lot of them now, all sixteen or over, all gearing for a brawl.  
  
They didn't have long to wait. A group of boys swarmed around the corner and came towards the circle. Wing greeted one of them, probably the Hoods leader, by snarling at him. The circle grew tighter and Ripley walked around the members of the gang collecting bet money while a boy from the Hoods did the same. Wing called them together and the betting stopped.  
  
"Well now," Wing said, looking the Hoods leader up and down "since you're here now, heads or tails? We'll flip a coin to see who get's to pick a fighter first."  
  
"Heads" he replied confidently. Wing flipped the coin and looked at it.  
  
"Heads it is, pick away." The other leader, who Ripley informed Hwoarang was called 'Black', pointed to one of his members and gave Wing an evil smile. Wing was calm.  
  
"My turn" he said, looking at Hwoarang "let's see what you can do, new boy."  
  
Xion sniggered, knowing full well that Hwoarang was probably going to wipe the floor with this guy. And he did. The other fighter stumbled off clutching at his side where Hwoarang had kicked him and floored him immediately, rendering him virtually immobile.  
  
Wing said nothing. He just stood and smiled, watching the carnage unfold. Hwoarang's blood burned. He was enjoying this too much. The fighting felt so good, the high better then any drug. He K.O'ed another of Black's fighters, and stopped when he heard a siren in the distance, coming closer.  
  
"Shit" Wing cursed under his breath, so much for the cops never getting called out. "Everyone go now!" he shouted. They all took off, running through different alleys and scrambling over walls. Hwoarang, Xion and Ripley climbed over the chain link fence at the back of the lot and sprinted down the street, bumping into bewildered clubbers and drunks as they went. Hwoarang looked back over his shoulder and saw blue lights flashing at the end of the street. He ran faster, over taking Xion and Ripley, and veered into a side street. They ran down it and came out the other side in the next street over. There was no sign on the police care now.  
  
"Christ, that was close" Ripley gasped, leaning on a shop wall and trying to catch his breath. "Which way do you live, Talon?" Xion asked. Hwoarang pointed down the street, breathing heavily.  
  
"We need to go this way" Xion said "We'll see you tomorrow if we don't get caught. Later Talon."  
  
They took off back up the street, and Hwoarang walked down in the general direction of his building, looking over his shoulder. A guy on a motorbike pulled up onto the pavement directly in front of him, almost planting the thing in Hwoarang's ribcage.  
  
"Hey kid, look where the hell you're going!" he shouted, mumbling 'goddamn street punks' under his breath. Hwoarang gave him the one-fingered salute as he walked into the off licence, then realised what he had said. 'Street punk', he was officially a street punk now. He smiled wryly and flicked his red hair out of his eyes. A high-pitched wailing emitted from behind him, and he rolled his eyes. 'Not again...' he thought, he was too tired to run. He looked at the bike in front of him and, as luck would have it, found that the fool had left the key in the ignition. He swung his leg over and started the bike up, spinning it round and taking off down the street. It was amazing how expertly he handled the machine, considering he had never actually rode one in his life unless you counted the old mountain bike he had at the orphanage when he was ten. He outran the cops easily and reached his building in record time. He parked the bike in the parking lot and ripped off its number plates, just in case. He let himself in and made his way to his room, where he fell asleep on the bed, fully clothed and not giving a shit.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hey all!!! I'm quite surprised at how fast I've been churning these chapters out; it's fun to write though!! Well, there's chapter 4 out of the way, and I'll get chapter 5 done uber soon, promise!!! Also, Arigatu to ChibiShiva for giving me my first review, ((huggles)) hope u enjoy the rest! Kaine xx ^_^ 


	5. Blood Talon

"So, are you doing anything later?"  
  
"Such as...?"  
  
Xion sighed and rapped on Hwoarang's skull with his knuckles.  
  
"Helloooo? Dude it's your birthday, you've gotta be doing something!"  
  
"Nope" Hwoarang replied, "besides, it's only my seventeenth, it's not as though I can get into a club or anything is it?"  
  
"True" Xion had to agree, though he still didn't understand why Hwoarang actually didn't want to celebrate.  
  
"I've got training tonight anyway, Baek's expecting me round."  
  
"Fair enough. So you're sure you're not coming out?"  
  
"No thanks, I'll stay in and get pissed or something" Hwoarang said, giving Xion a happy, goofy grin.  
  
"Alright, I'll catch ya later then" Xion said, and walked back down the street. Hwoarang mounted his bike and brushed a bit of lint off the freshly painted surface. The old red colour was gone, now replaced by a lovely tu- tone purple, for two reasons really. It not only looked better, it also made the bike less identifiable, since Hwoarang had no intention of returning the stolen bike to its previous owner. It still had no number plates, but that wasn't a problem. Half the cars in the neighbourhood had no number plates. Considering this was supposed to be one of the worst cities in Korea, Hwoarang had grown to like it just fine.  
  
He started the bike up and made his way to Baek's home. Baek was already in the courtyard as usual and Hwoarang joined him once he was changed.  
  
"So, how's your birthday been so far?" Baek asked after they finished warming up.  
  
"Just a normal day really, I can't really do much since I'm still too young to legally go to any clubs or anything." he replied. Baek laughed.  
  
"Since when do you give a shit about what's legal?"  
  
"I don't, but the bouncers aren't that stupid, they do actually check for ID."  
  
Baek shrugged.  
  
"Not even having any mates round?"  
  
Hwoarang laughed. "Xion and Ripley might turn up later, but I doubt it, they'll be too bloody busy getting into street fights to be bothered."  
  
"Well, I've got a shit load of unopened beer taking up room in the fridge if you want me to bring it round later."  
  
Hwoarang smiled gratefully. "Sure."  
  
"Okay, I'll come round at about seven."  
  
Hwoarang nodded, and the sparring began. Twice he won Baek, then lost because the bright sunlight blinded him and he missed a block.  
  
Baek held out a hand to pull him up, and he dusted himself down.  
  
"Do you want to leave it for today?" Baek suggested. Hwoarang agreed and went to get changed. He folded his Gi and put it in his bag, pulled his jeans back on and t-shirt. He went back out and said goodbye to Baek, then left, figuring he may as well go and see Wing to quell the boredom. He rode quite slowly to the warehouse, knowing Wing would probably be there. And indeed he was. Wing greeted the redhead with a friendly hug.  
  
"Happy birthday Talon" he said.  
  
"Thanks Wing, any fights goin' on today?"  
  
Wing shook his head. "Not today, the Hoods are still recovering from the last time you pasted them all into the asphalt." Hwoarang laughed.  
  
"You're the best fighter I've ever had Talon, where in God's name did you learn to fight like that?"  
  
"Well, Baek's a good teacher" Hwoarang told him.  
  
"No way" the older boy said "Baek Doo San?"  
  
Hwoarang nodded.  
  
"He taught me too! Though, I was never as good as you. You have a natural talent, I'm just good at making bets on fighters."  
  
They stood outside the warehouse talking for a while. Wing was astounded that Hwoarang had been learning Tae Kwon Do for less than a year. Wing was laughing at something Hwoarang had said, when his expression turned cold and hard. Hwoarang turned around and saw Black approaching with two of his gang members. Wing walked over to him, and Hwoarang followed closely behind.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Wing asked coldly. Black shrugged.  
  
"Just passing by, if that's okay with you?" he replied, smirking.  
  
"No, it's not okay. Get the fuck off my territory Black, you're not welcome here" Wing warned, his anger building. Hwoarang stepped up beside him and glared at Black.  
  
"Piss off man, okay?" he said "you're not wanted here, and take your rent- boys with you."  
  
"I'm not wanted here?" Black said, pretending to be shocked "how about you? You're not wanted by your own fucking family you orphan!"  
  
That was low. Hwoarang let out a short, bitter laugh and looked down at the concrete floor of the parking lot. His fists clenched and he lashed out at Black without thinking, catching him off guard and sending him crashing to the floor.  
  
Black was stunned. He picked himself up and wiped at his face. Blood was pouring from a gash in his cheek.  
  
"What are you waiting for?!" he screamed at the other two who were with him "SHOOT THE BASTARDS!!!"  
  
They pulled out handguns and aimed them both at Wing. Hwoarang grabbed Wing's wrist and pulled him down, then ran back towards the alleyway leading to the town. Gunfire echoed around the. People in the streets heard it too; dropping groceries in shock and pulling their children close protectively. The boys ran as fast as they could manage and turned sharply, still hearing their pursuers behind them. They sprinted up the narrow alley, knocking over crates and trashcans, totally giving away their position. Sirens came from the distance, and for a moment, they thought the Hoods had given up the chase until Black appeared around the corner, holding one of the handguns and aiming for Wing.  
  
"Fuck you Black" Wing choked out "You'll never be better then us..."  
  
"Wing, I'm the one holding the gun, I think I'm better already!" he reminded them.  
  
The wall behind them was too high to climb, but Hwoarang noticed a fire escape on the side of a building. He could reach it easily.  
  
Black was advancing on them, but then so were the police, Hwoarang could hear them searching the alleys. He acted on impulse and called out.  
  
"HEY!!! HEY, DOWN HERE!!!"  
  
He saw panic flash across Black's face, then his expression returned to normal. "Stupid bloody kid" he said, raising the gun and pointing the muzzle at Wing. Wing let out a frightened breath. A cop appeared around the corner.  
  
"Stop!" he shouted to Black, startling him. Wing cried out and there was a flash, Hwoarang hit the floor and groaned in pain. Another flash, and he felt something heavy land on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He could hear Black screaming in the background at someone to 'let go of me, you pig!!!' He looked down and felt a sharp pain run up his side and down his leg. Wing lay across him, breathing heavily. There was blood.....  
  
Hwoarang couldn't look, but he felt Wing grasp his hand. "Here..." he said, blood spitting out of his mouth. He handed Hwoarang a ring, silver with a blood-red stone set in its middle. His leaders ring.  
  
"You take it. If anyone succeeds me, I want it to be you Talon."  
  
Hwoarang took the ring, but didn't put it on.  
  
"Succeeds you? Why, you're not dying, you're gonna be fine, Wing!!!" Wing let out a choked laugh; it hurt like a mother to talk.  
  
"He got me...in the lung...I'm not gonna get though this..."  
  
"Wing, I can't" the redheaded boy protested, "I'm not a leader, I can't do this!"  
  
Wing lifted his head as much as he could and grabbed Hwoarang's shirt. "You have to, please, do it for me... happy birthday...Blood Talon."  
  
Wing's grip released. He coughed once more, and then lay still. Hwoarang stared at the body of his friend. A tear slid down his cheek, and he bit his lip hard to keep from sobbing. Black was still screaming obscenities as the police dragged him away, but Hwoarang heard nothing. He clutched at his side and found blood soaking through his shirt. It hurt. A cop came over and knelt next to him.  
  
"Are you okay son?" Hwoarang didn't answer, but the officer saw the blood on his shirt. He looked at the lifeless face of Wing and called another officer over.  
  
"Come on" he said to Hwoarang soothingly "let's get you to the hospital." He helped he boy to his feet and supported him back to a patrol car. Hwoarang looked back at Wing as he was lifted onto a stretcher and carried away. Tears came quickly this time, cascading down his face and mixing with the blood and sweat on his cheeks. He sat in the back of the car in silence, twisting the ring around his finger. Blood Talon, Wing had called him, giving him the title reserved for the gang leader. Well, Blood Talon was pissed, and Blood Talon wanted revenge. But then, he had already just had the pleasure of seeing Black dragged into another patrol car in handcuffs. Without their leader, the Hoods would be out of action for a long time, and the fiery redhead vowed to keep it that way.  
  
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Ahh another one done, I'm flying through this lol!! R+R I command ye! Or else I'll....erm...yeah...hope you enjoyed it so far! ^_^ Kaine xx 


	6. Bar Yard Brawl

Hwoarang stood back and admired his work proudly. The whole of the apartment was finally finished and he could get rid of all the spare paintbrushes that had accumulated in the kitchen sink. He turned the volume on the CD player up, grabbed a beer from the fridge and plopped down on the couch. Wing's funeral had been a year ago the previous day, and the gang had been laying low while everything was sorted out, such as new meeting places, and on Hwoarang's orders, training like hell. He felt it best that the whole of the gang brush up on their fighting skills to avoid another accident occurring. He finished the beer, crushed the can and tossed it into the bin full of wallpaper strippings. Decorating was not one of his favourite past times, but now it was done, he was glad he had bothered. The sitting room was blue, his bedroom was purple, the kitchen black and white, the bathroom fluorescent green because he thought it would help wake him up in the mornings. So far, it had served its purpose well.  
  
He stripped off his paint-dappled top, throwing it into the laundry basket in the kitchen and replaced it with one emblazoned with the name of some little known heavy metal band. Out of the window, the day looked relatively nice for once. He decided to take advantage of the weather and go for a ride. He went down to the apartment parking lot and started his bike up. It purred into life beneath him. He tightened the wrist straps on his leather bike gloves and freewheeled it out onto the road, where he kicked it into action and tore up the street. His red hair flicked around his face in the wind, and he slowed down to stop at the lights, actually obeying them for once.  
  
"Hey, Talon!" He turned in the saddle and saw Ripley coming up the street with Xion close behind.  
  
"Hey guys" he greeted, moving the bike off the road and to the pavement side "how's it goin'?"  
  
"All good" Xion answered "is the meeting still on tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, at the basketball courts near the arcade. Best not to bother with the warehouse anymore."  
  
Xion nodded "I'll let everyone know. Where are you off too anyway?"  
  
"Just going for a ride" Hwoarang told him "thought I might pay Wing a visit."  
  
"You know, if he had his way, he wouldn't want you spending all your time moping around the cemetery" Ripley said, grinning sadly.  
  
"Yeah I know" Hwoarang agreed "but he isn't around to stop me, is he?"  
  
"That's true. Well, we'll see you later Talon."  
  
He bade them goodbye and started off again in the direction of the cemetery.  
  
It was eerily quiet on the other side of those huge, iron gates, no sound from the streets came through and it made Hwoarang feel like he had jus entered the Twilight Zone or something. No one else was in the cemetery, because most people avoided being there anyway. He left his bike in the tiny parking lot next to the chapel and wandered down the gravel path, past the old trees that reminded him of withered hags hands. Wing's grave stood under one of the only trees that still looked even remotely alive. He sat down on the newly laid turf in front of the headstone and smiled at it. He read the inscription, though he already knew it by heart.  
  
James Robert Cain  
  
Born 07.09.1985  
Died 05.06.2003  
  
'All we need is just a little patience  
Fly Strong, Blood Wing.'  
  
"Hey Wing" Hwoarang said to the stone "I finally finished decorating the apartment, I can't believe it took me this long! And I did paint the bathroom green, so there" he finished, laughing.  
  
"Xion and Ripley are keeping me in check, I make a sucky leader but they keep me going I guess. The Hoods haven't been around at all, everything's been going quite well but I know better than to believe it's al gonna stay that way."  
  
He sighed; a tear slipped out and trickled down his cheek.  
  
"Look, you've got me crying again. Anyway, I've got to go, we have a meeting soon, and it's not going to look good if the 'leader' shows up late."  
  
He patted the top of the stone and used it to hoist himself up.  
  
"See ya 'round" he said, and left the grave.  
  
He rode slowly back to the basketball courts, his mind not entirely on what he was doing and almost managed to go straight up the back end of the brand new Mercedes in front of him. Most of the gang were already at the courts when he arrived, having disbanded the few neighbourhood kids that were there. He walked through the chain link gate and greeted them as one.  
  
"I don't know about you lot" he said, looking around at his gang members, it was his gang now, after all "but I'm sick of never getting out and having any decent fun lately. How about we just sod the meeting, go out and get pissed?"  
  
The gang erupted in chatter, confirming their approval. They all left and made their way into town. By eleven, an all round town pub-crawl was well and truly underway, and yet remarkably, Hwoarang stayed more or less sober. The gang were falling over each other on the way down the street to the next pub, which was rough as hell and a well-known haunt for street punks. They stumbled in and made for the bar. Hwoarang ordered a double vodka and downed it, gasping when it burned his throat, but ordering another regardless. He could take his alcohol better than most. He turned around, leaning against the bar and looked over the other street punks in the bar.  
  
Most looked back with frightened eyes. The Bloods had earned themselves a name since Wing's death, and most of the other gangs feared them like the plague. Some of the other punters actually got up and walked out, or looked away quickly from Hwoarang's gaze. He ordered more beer, finally getting onto JD, totally forgetting that it didn't agree with him. He looked up at Xion, who was totally plastered and unable to string together a sentence that made sense. Hwoarang took one sip of the JD and grimaced, deciding to leave it. He was tipsy, and needed to be able to ride home without risking life and limb. The pub doors opened, and a small group came through. Hwoarang didn't recognise them, but the guy in front was obviously the leader. He was tall, muscular and had an oriental look about him. He came over to the bar and ordered...  
  
"Water?!" Hwoarang exclaimed, sounding offended that anyone should come into a bar and order something non-alcoholic. The other guy looked about Hwoarang's age, but didn't have the same cocky look in his eyes as most eighteen year olds he knew.  
  
"Nani?" he said, looking straight at Hwoarang.  
  
"Dude, you can't come in here and order water, it's just not practical!" Hwoarang babbled. The other guy stared at him.  
  
'Intense...' Hwoarang thought 'I don't like that look in his eyes at all...'  
  
"I'll order what I want" he said calmly "I'm not a mindless drunk like you street punks."  
  
"Who you callin' mindless??" Hwoarang spat "For your information, I don't drink that often thank you very much, only I turned eighteen yesterday and I didn't get to go out so I'm enjoying myself tonight."  
  
The other boy laughed, his eyes glinting in a way that made Hwoarang feel nervous and uneasy. He stood up and walked over to the others he had come in with and spoke to them in some form of language Hwoarang didn't know.  
  
"Hey! I don't speak Punjabi, so tell me what the fuck you just said!"  
  
"It was Japanese" the raven haired boy informed him "and I was just telling my friend here how much this place reminds me of home. Full of punks like you who think they can take on anyone."  
  
"Oh? Well actually we don't think we can take on anyone, we know we can" Hwoarang informed him, grinning manically. Xion appeared beside him and giggled drunkenly.  
  
"Challenge them," he whispered to Hwoarang "then we'll kick the shit out them and take everything they've got." Hwoarang nodded his agreement.  
  
"We'll prove it" he offered "you and me, out back, now. Winner takes all."  
  
"All of what?"  
  
Hwoarang rolled his eyes.  
  
"Everyone bets on who will win, and the winner takes everything, comprende?"  
  
"Lie Kazama Jin" one of the guy's groupies said, desperately trying to make him change his mind.  
  
"Kazama? Weird name..." Hwoarang said.  
  
"That's my surname, my first name is Jin," he explained, shrugging his protesting companion off "are we going to do this now, then?"  
  
"Hell yeah" Hwoarang said, leading the way into the pubs back. Rain was spitting, bouncing off the beer barrels stacked up around the yard, making a strange tinny drumbeat. They all filed out of the building, the rest of the Bloods lining one wall, Jin's companions taking the other.  
  
Ripley started his betting duties, taking money from both sides. Xion gave Hwoarang a black bandana to keep his hair out of the way and tied it at the back of Hwoarang's head for him. Jin stripped off his shirt, revealing his immaculately toned torso. It didn't put Hwoarang off one bit, rather intrigued him more. This other boy was fascinating. He watched as Jin wound bandages around his hands for protection, and then pulled off his own shirt, leaving his fingerless bike gloves on. He stretched himself and cracked his knuckles. The wet leather of his jeans glinted with the light from the streetlamps. He stepped forward and took up his fighting stance. Jin did the same and Xion stepped in to do his refereeing duties. He grinned at Hwoarang who grinned back. This was going to be good.  
  
"Good luck, Talon" he said.  
  
"Yeah, like I'm going to need it" Hwoarang replied confidently. Jin looked just as confident. He looked directly into Hwoarang's eyes, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly into a small half smile. His deep brown eyes were soft but focused. Hwoarang couldn't help but stare into them, like he was drowning in them.  
  
He snapped out of the daze as Xion lifted his arm and the fight began. He lashed out immediately and punched Jin square in the jaw. Jin reeled slightly but recovered quickly, returning the blow, which Hwoarang just managed to block. Jin retaliated by grabbing Hwoarang's wrist and lifting the struggling redhead over his shoulder and dropping him violently to the floor. Hwoarang kicked out as he landed, catching Jin in the small of his back and sending him crashing into a stack of empty crates. Jin got back up, laughing.  
  
"You're better than I thought you would be," he said, flinching as he ran a hand over the cut in his eyebrow.  
  
"So are you" Hwoarang admitted "but we're not done yet." With that, he launched himself at Jin and brought him down. He straddled Jin's chest and punched him again. Jin arched his back and flung Hwoarang off to the side. He pulled himself up again and kicked the Korean in the ribs. Hwoarang kicked his legs up above his body, catching Jin in his side, then brought them quickly back down and flipped himself up. Jin punched him once but Hwoarang caught his fist and threw him down. Jin was dazed but still got up. Hwoarang realised his nose was bleeding, probably broken, and the blood was choking him. Jin was having a hard time breathing since he was winded. The two fighters stood, breathing heavily and neither making another move. Xion looked at Ripley desperately, who shrugged, and called the match. It was a draw.  
  
Jin sat down; trying to get his breath back and Hwoarang spat a sickening concoction of spit and blood onto the floor. He touched his nose tenderly. It hurt like a mother, but it wasn't broken. He glared at Jin, who smiled back."  
  
"Oo bathtard" he said, as best as he could manage "I nether loothe."  
  
Jin stood up, still clutching at his side.  
  
"Yeah? Well, neither do I. I'll see you round, kisama."  
  
With that, he staggered back into the pub and left. Hwoarang was burning with anger, both at himself and Jin. He had never come anything less than best in a fight, he always won, it was just the way things went. Ripley came over with a handkerchief and held it out.  
  
"Here Talon" he said, sounding disappointed. Hwoarang scowled at him.  
  
"Fuck off, I'm gohing 'ome."  
  
Ripley stood back and let Hwoarang storm past. He heard his bike start up and heard the wheels screech as Hwoarang sped away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Aww poor Hwoarang!!! –sniffles- it's just evil! Well, he'll be better soon, I promise!!! Kaine xx 


	7. Old Friends

His nose still hurt, but it wasn't horribly bent. The fact that he wasn't going to have to live the rest of his life with a crooked face was good enough. Hwoarang leaned his arms on the tiled wall of the shower and sighed. He still felt thoroughly sorry for himself, and had been in the shower for hours and the water was starting to run cold. It trickled down his back, making him shiver. He turned the water flow off and stepped out, wrapping a towel around his slender waist. He had a few cuts and bruises, his nose was a little swollen and his pride was shattered into a million pieces, but that was it. He stomped out into the sitting room and turned the CD player on, cranking the volume up loud enough to annoy his new neighbour Mr Lee. He severely disliked the old man, mainly because Mr Lee disliked him. Their first meeting last night when Hwoarang came in all bloodied up after the fight with Jin, consisted of Mr Lee calling him a 'good for nothing scoundrel', and stating that he disapproved of his hair and long hair belonged on women only. Hwoarang had of course retaliated, but Mr Lee was the kind of guy who lived up to the saying 'My Way or the Highway'. Hwoarang would have gladly taken the highway, given the chance.  
  
He went to the kitchen and took two beers out of the fridge and drank them both straight away. He stormed back into the living room miserably and collapsed on the couch. Mr Lee was apparently not at home, since there was no banging on the walls and hoarse screams of "TURN IT DOWN OR I'LL HAVE YOU EVICTED!!!" That would never happen though; Hwoarang knew Bernie wouldn't evict him, even if he burned the kitchen out. He just didn't give a crap like that. He did think he was imagining things when there was a knock at the door instead, and he stood up stiffly and stalked down the short hall, wrenching the door open.  
  
"Look Mr Lee, I'm having a shit day, hell I've had a shit week and I don't need you making it any worse so just piss off and..."  
  
"Hwoarang?"  
  
He looked up and didn't see a seventy-year-old man with grey hair and a stony expression at the door. Rather, he saw Baek.  
  
"Oh shit, sorry" he apologised "what's up?"  
  
"Why didn't you come to training this morning?"  
  
Hwoarang sighed heavily.  
  
"I didn't feel like it. I had a bad night."  
  
"What happened?" Baek asked, frowning at him.  
  
"I was in a fight with some guy and...well..."  
  
"You lost?"  
  
"We drew actually, but the point is I didn't win, I've never lost a fight like that! I feel so fucking shit, like I've let everyone down..."  
  
Baek looked at him and grinned.  
  
"You didn't loose though. You just expect too much of yourself, your too cocky and that's why you can't admit defeat, even if it wasn't really defeat. The point is you gave it your best and...what the fuck are you listening too?"  
  
Hwoarang grinned and turned the music down.  
  
"Rammstein" he said "don't you like them?"  
  
"I can't understand a word he's saying."  
  
"That's because he singing in German. Anyway, do you want a beer?"  
  
Baek accepted, and Hwoarang went to get two cans from the fridge. He cracked his open and drank it in one go, crushing the can and tossing it into the bin. Baek looked up at him, then looked him up and down.  
  
"So, are you going to get dressed Hwoa? Or are you going to wear that towel all day?"  
  
Hwoarang looked down at his waist and agreed that it was probably a good idea to put some clothes on. He changed quickly and went back to the sitting room, turning the new TV on. Some chat show was on, a woman was complaining about her husband being a lazy pig, and he was protesting that she nagged him all the time. Hwoarang flicked the channel over; grateful he didn't live in America. Or Japan for that matter. If he never saw Kazama again, it would be too soon.  
  
"So, who was the fight with?" Baek enquired.  
  
"Some random guy called Jin Kazama." Hwoarang told him "I've never seen him before and I never want to again."  
  
"Kazama? Sounds foreign."  
  
"No shit, he's Japanese and he knows his stuff as far as fighting goes."  
  
Baek nodded and sat back into the couch. He drank some more of the beer and watched the pathetic lives of the soap people on the TV. He didn't understand how this could be considered entertainment, and took the remote, flicking through the channels to some cookery show.  
  
He spent the duration of it yelling at the chef for putting the wrong things in the wrong recipes, and how he could show him how to make a better stir-fry than that. It made Hwoarang laugh to see Baek so wound up about something that trivial. A knock at the door disturbed them, and Hwoarang got up to answer it. His heart sank when he opened it and was greeted by Bernie's bean-sauce-splattered vest.  
  
"Can I help you, Oh God of Tenancy?" Hwoarang mocked.  
  
"Save it Hwoarang" Bernie scolded, "I'm here for the rent?"  
  
"Wow, you mean you actually got up off your arse to do something for yourself? Give the guy a medal!" Hwoarang said, obviously not in the mood to be dishing out money.  
  
"You owe me three months rent, I've given in on waiting for you Hwoarang, so I came to get it myself."  
  
Hwoarang sighed. He retrieved his wallet from the pocket of his leather bike jacket on the back of his bedroom door and handed the money over. Bernie counted it carefully, and satisfied, waddled back down the hall. Hwoarang gave him the finger as he walked away, and closed the door. He growled to himself and went back to the sitting room. Baek was pulling his coat on, ready to leave.  
  
"I have to get going" he said "See you tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure" Hwoarang said "See you later."  
  
Baek left and Hwoarang flopped down onto the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table. He looked at the clock and decided to give in. His bedroom called.  
  
***  
  
~Fast-forward a few months, Hwoarang in nineteen now and thoroughly enjoying the winter.... ~  
  
"I hate Christmas..." he groaned, rising up on his tiptoes to try and see the end of the queue. The cashier was apparently having a little trouble with a rogue till, and the queue of twenty-plus people had come to a complete standstill. He gave in waiting, put the few presents he had managed to get onto a random shelf and walked out of the store. He could get something smaller and less expensive for everyone, after all it's the thought that counts. He made his way steadily up the street, carefully avoiding the various ice patches and reached his bike. He mounted it and started it up, letting it warm up a bit before taking off along the gritted roads. He stopped at Tony's and went in, sitting at his usual table by the window so he could keep an eye on the bike. He still didn't trust anyone in this town as far as he could throw them, which was actually quite far.  
  
A waitress tottered over, the same one it always was and the one who had served him on his first time in Tony's. He greeted him with a huge, toothy grin.  
  
"Hwoarang honey! How are you?"  
  
"Cold and miserable" he answered bluntly.  
  
"Aww, well let's get you something to warm you up. Chilli special?"  
  
"Sure. Thanks Mel."  
  
"No problem" she said with a smile and went to the kitchen to place the order. Hwoarang gazed out of the window upon all the happy kids, flustered housewives and the guy who dressed as Santa and stood on the street corner ringing a bell, trying to get people to cough up money for some form of charity they had never heard of. The door chimed as it opened, and he looked over absentmindedly, not because he was curious as to the arrival of the newcomer, but because it was a reaction he couldn't help. The boy who stepped through was his age, skinny and had blonde hair with bright red streaks. Hwoarang recognised him immediately.  
  
"Kei!!!" he called, waving him over. Kei smiled brightly and came over to the table.  
  
"Long time no see Hwoa!" he chirped "how're you doing?"  
  
"I'm fine. Freezing my balls off and in debt to my landlord, but fine. You?"  
  
"I'm peachy. I came to town with Kim but she's gone off shopping somewhere..."  
  
"Kim?" Hwoarang interrupted.  
  
"My fiancé, we're getting married in March." Kei explained "She's great, I love her to bits. Have you got a girl?"  
  
"No, I tend to scare them away really. Not everyone likes street gang leaders."  
  
Kei laughed and tousled Hwoarang's hair playfully.  
  
"Maybe it's got something to do with that?" he suggested "it's so long now you're starting to look a little effeminate!"  
  
"Oh sod off" Hwoarang said "I get told that everyday by someone or another, usually someone from the gang. I like it long anyway."  
  
"I'm sure you do, it suits you." Kei commented, "So you really lead a gang?"  
  
"Sure do."  
  
"That's pretty cool. Sister Rose would turn in her grave if she knew though!"  
  
"Grave?"  
  
Kei looked up from the tabletop, his eyes sad.  
  
"Yeah, she died in September. Some kind of virus or something. She was asking for you, but we couldn't get in touch with you to let you know."  
  
Hwoarang's face fell. He couldn't believe Sister Rose had died. She had always seemed like one of those indestructible women, the kind that never get sick and never let anything stop them. He looked out of the window again, and saw a young woman with long, brown hair tapping her foot impatiently and looking pointedly at Kei. Hwoarang nudged him.  
  
"Is that Kim?"  
  
Kei looked and nodded.  
  
"Looks like I've got to go, catch ya later Hwoa."  
  
He left with Kim and disappeared down the street. Hwoarang watched them go, until another person caught his eye. They were heading for Tony's and, although Hwoarang couldn't see their face under their jacket hood, he knew that they meant business. Mel brought his pizza over, but he paid it no attention, too intent on watching the approaching figure. They turned, and Hwoarang got a glimpse of raven-black hair and deep brown eyes, turned down in a scowl.  
  
'Kazama?!' Hwoarang mentally cried. He watched as Jin crossed the street and looked into the window of Tony's. Hwoarang quickly got up and made for the bathroom, not wanting an encounter with Jin in a crowded public place. He waited in the bathroom, standing in front of a cracked mirror and looking at himself. He saw the reflection of the door opening behind him. Hooded figure entered.  
  
'I hate life'  
  
"What do you want, Kazama?" he quizzed without turning around.  
  
"Ahh, hello Hwoarang. Fancy seeing you here?" Jin said, sounding less than pleased.  
  
"What the fuck are you still doing here? Why haven't you fucked off back to Japan yet?"  
  
Jin smiled to himself.  
  
"Well, in actual fact, I can't. I'm number one on my Grandfather's 'To Kill' list, and as long as I'm here he can't find me."  
  
"Your Grandfather?" Hwoarang repeated, turning around to face Jin "Why the hell does he want you dead?"  
  
"Long story" Jin replied.  
  
"I see." Hwoarang said, "I hate long stories, so don't bother. Anyway, I want a rematch with you."  
  
Jin looked surprised.  
  
"A rematch? Why do you want a rematch now?"  
  
"To prove I'm better than you, dickhead" Hwoarang spat. Jin smiled again, his eyes glinting in that eerie way. He stepped around Hwoarang to lean on the wall.  
  
"Better than me? You wish..." he taunted. Hwoarang gave him a cocky grin.  
  
"I never loose Kazama. That draw was just bad luck, plus I'd had a bit to drink. Technically, it was unfair and I want a rematch!"  
  
"There's no reason for one." Jin retaliated "We drew, end of discussion."  
  
Hwoarang snarled slightly and leaned against the sinks. Jin stepped closer and leaned over him. Hwoarang felt a serious case of the butterflies swarm up in his stomach, then immediately dismissed it as nothing. He looked up into Jin's eyes.  
  
"What?" he asked. Jin shrugged. He stepped back, and Hwoarang stood by the sinks staring at him. Hwoarang straightened up and made for the door.  
  
"Later, Kazama" he said. He pulled the door open a little, then let it go as he was pulled back, spun around and pushed up against the wall. Jin leaned quickly in and kissed Hwoarang fiercely. He pulled away, his face confused. Hwoarang put a hand to his mouth in shock. They stood, staring at each other for what seemed like hours, before Jin opened the door and left quickly. Hwoarang stood there dazed.  
  
'Come on Hwoarang, get a grip' he told himself. He left the bathroom, paid his bill at the counter and made his way home. 


	8. Not much of a Rival now, are we?

Jin stood outside the apartment door and checked the bit of paper in his hand for the millionth time. Apartment 203, this was defiantly it. He listened and confirmed with himself that Hwoarang was defiantly home. He could hear Guns n Roses blasting from the CD player in the sitting room. He knocked lightly on the door, then harder when no one answered. He waited for a minute before knocking again, and a stony faced, red-haired Korean answered.  
  
"Kazama?!"  
  
"Good morning, Hwoarang."  
  
Hwoarang just stood there, staring in disbelief, then regained himself and glared at Jin.  
  
"What do you want?" he spat angrily. Jin tried his best to look innocent.  
  
"Just came by to say hi. If you want me to leave then..."  
  
Hwoarang softened and shook his head, his long hair flicking in front of his eyes. It sucked being in alone on Christmas Eve, and even if it was Jin, he was kind of glad for the company.  
  
"No, that's okay. Do you want to come in?" he offered. Jin accepted and stepped over the threshold into the narrow hall. Hwoarang had to squeeze up against the wall to compensate for the lack of space. With Jin stood in front of him, so close to him, he felt that insane feeling of butterflies again, and dismissed it once more.  
  
"Well, I err....I'll go and get something to drink" he blurted out quickly "what do you want? Tea, coffee, beer...or water?" he added, smirking.  
  
"Beer sounds fine," Jin said. Hwoarang nodded and squeezed past Jin to the kitchen. Jin followed and sat on the couch in the sitting room. Hwoarang came back through with two bottles and handed him one, sitting on the other side of the couch and putting his feet up on the table.  
  
"You know" Jin started "my mum would kill you for putting your shoes on the furniture."  
  
"Well, it's fine to do that at L'apartemant du Hwoarang" he said with a mock French accent. Jin smiled and sat back.  
  
"Look" he said, staring at the green glass of the bottle "what happened at that pizza place the other day..."  
  
"Save it." Hwoarang interrupted "If you start giving me reasons then I'll start analysing them and send myself insane."  
  
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry if I offended you. To be honest I don't know what came over me. It seemed like a good idea at the time..."  
  
Hwoarang looked at him and smiled. He prodded Jin in the shoulder, and Jin turned to look at him.  
  
"Why at that time? Why not at any other time? Like in that bar for example?"  
  
Jin shrugged and looked away from Hwoarang. The Korean put his hand under Jin's chin and turned his head back to face him.  
  
"Jin, I need you to answer me."  
  
Jin sighed.  
  
"Well, in that bar, you were just another street punk. I never paid attention to you, only to the fight. But I saw you out last week with Xion, and I realised that you're more than that."  
  
Hwoarang sat and listened, never looking away from those deep brown eyes. He nodded for Jin to go on.  
  
"You're loyal to your friends, you don't hold grudges apart from the one with me, you don't mindlessly attack any random person in the street, not to mention the fact that you have got the most gorgeous pair of eyes I've ever seen."  
  
"I see." Hwoarang said, then added "Are my eyes really that nice?"  
  
Jin nodded and blushed a little. Hwoarang blushed a lot. He stood up and went back to the kitchen, reappearing with a tray of nibbles and two more bottles.  
  
"I think we need to talk, don't you?" he asked Jin, who nodded. They sat up onto the couch so they faced each other. "I'm not going to lie and say that I don't get really nervous every time I see you, I think it's got something to do with that weird-ass glint you have in your eyes. But also, I think it's something else too."  
  
"If my father knew about that day in Tony's, I think he'd kill me..." Jin said, avoiding what Hwoarang had just said. Hwoarang looked up at him.  
  
"Why? He's not a homophobe is he?"  
  
Jin nodded. "Just a bit. He gets pissed off at the slightest things too and if he found out..."  
  
"Hey." Hwoarang interrupted "How could he find out? We were the only ones there."  
  
"You'd be surprised." Jin explained, "Let's just say that he has his ways. I think I've taken a bit of a risk coming here because I had to find Xion to ask for your address and he could have found out about that. I'm rambling, we have more important things to talk about."  
  
"No," Hwoarang said "you sound like you need to get this off your chest. Carry on." He edged closer to Jin, munching on a breadstick. Jin carried on.  
  
"There's a lot of hatred in my family, on my Dad's side anyway. It goes back years between him and my grandfather Heihachi, but Heihachi was just born evil I guess. He tried to kill my dad loads of times and when I was born, my mother left with me to keep me safe."  
  
He stopped, grabbed a pretzel and continued.  
  
"When I was sixteen, I found Heihachi and he taught me his fighting style, which is basically just his take on Karate. Then I found out he had killed my father, thrown his body into a volcano and was after me next. That's why I left Japan, and why I can't go back. Heihachi's got his butt-monkey boys out all over looking for me, so I figured it would be best to stay in Korea for now."  
  
He stopped again. Hwoarang was gazing at him, still eating the same breadstick and totally out of it. Jin clicked his fingers and Hwoarang snapped back to reality, abandoning his thoughts.  
  
"Oh? So you can't go back, like, ever?" he said, quickly regaining himself.  
  
"No, though I want to. I haven't seen my mother in a long time, I just hope she's okay."  
  
"I'm sure she is" Hwoarang reassured. Jin leaned forward, making him jump back in surprise, and took a bite from the breadstick in his hand. Hwoarang scowled at him.  
  
"Well, you weren't eating it."  
  
"Who says I wasn't saving it? I'm gonna get another beer, you want one?"  
  
Jin agreed and Hwoarang went to get another helping of alcohol. By the time eleven o'clock came around, they were well and truly wasted. Hwoarang was lying on the floor with his legs up on the couch while Jin was trying (and failing abysmally) to figure out how to use the strange contraption Hwoarang had called a bottle opener. Things just didn't want to work when he was drunk, and he ended up dropping it and loosing it under the TV.  
  
Hwoarang broke out into a fit of laughter and banged his head on the coffee table as he tried to sit up. Jin held out a hand to help him up and he took it. Jin pulled him back onto the couch, and Hwoarang fell, landing on Jin's legs and breaking in to another fit of the giggles. He lifted himself up and turned over, so he was lying on his back and looking up at Jin.  
  
"I lost the bottle opener," Jin said, smirking. Hwoarang prodded him in the chest. He looked down at the Korean's smiling face on his lap.  
  
"Bottle opener!!! Here boy!!!" Hwoarang called out drunkenly, making them both laugh. He gave in trying to call it to him and snuggled into Jin's body. "Sleepy..." he said softly. Jin shook him gently. "You can't fall asleep now! It's nearly midnight, as in it's nearly Christmas!" Jin protested. Hwoarang groaned and sat up, leaning against Jin.  
  
"Sooo" he slurred, then laughed again "you know that rematch?"  
  
"Oh no..." Jin groaned, "you're not serious are you?"  
  
"What? You mean you still want to? Because I was going to say it doesn't matter anymore and we should just forget about it and accept that we both won and lost."  
  
Jin smiled and Hwoarang laughed again.  
  
"That's good" Jin said, "I don't feel like having another unnecessary display of manhood."  
  
"No, not right now anyway" Hwoarang agreed "I'm comfy and I don't want to move."  
  
He cuddled into Jin's shoulder, and Jin's arm slid around his waist, apparently without Jin noticing. He reached for the remote and turned the TV on, finding some old action film, typically involving the impending destruction of the world and one man still finding time to save it in- between seducing the supporting actress, sleeping with her and being shot several times. Hwoarang shifted his position to bring his legs up onto the couch, his top sliding up slightly, revealing his own scar where he had been shot on the night of his seventeenth birthday. Jin noticed it and ran his fingers over it softly.  
  
"Yeah" Hwoarang said, "before you ask, getting shot does hurt. Like a bitch in fact."  
  
"You've been shot? When, how and who by?"  
  
"How?!" Hwoarang asked in disbelief that Jin could be so docile. Jin realised what he had said and laughed, as did Hwoarang and it took them quite a while to calm down. Jin moved so he was leaning with his back to the arm of the couch. Hwoarang leaned against him and Jin's arms circled his slender waist from behind.  
  
"The night of my seventeenth birthday, the night Wing was killed. Wing was the last leader of the gang before me, by the way. It was Black who did it, used to be leader of the Hoods, but he's inside now thanks to us. It's a shame that it took the death of one of my best friends to bring him down though and...oh my good God..."  
  
"What?" Jin asked him. Hwoarang sat up quickly and looked at him.  
  
"What?! You're not telling me you didn't notice!!! Look at how we were just lying!!!"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"OH?! Jesus Christ Jin! I mean sure, you like me and I think you're pretty goddamn hot too but..." He stopped and clapped a hand to his mouth.  
Jin stared up at him, then started laughing. Although it hardly seemed appropriate, Hwoarang laughed too, unable to stop himself doing so under the influence of alcohol. He hit Jin playfully in the arm, and Jin dove at him, knocking them both onto the floor. Hwoarang rolled over and straddled Jin, pinning him down and still laughing hysterically. Jin flipped him off and held his wrists together above his head. The Korean squirmed and gave a half-assed pull at Jin's strong grip. He stopped squirming and looked up into two huge pools of deep brown bliss. His laughter died down and he lifted his head up to meet Jin's kiss. Jin gently pushed his tongue into Hwoarang's mouth and released the Koreans wrists. Hwoarang accepted Jin's hot tongue and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. He brought his hands to the front of Jin's shirt and began to unbutton it slowly. Jin stood up and pulled Hwoarang after him, kissing him again. In the distance outside, a church bell chimed, announcing midnight and the arrival of Christmas.  
  
"Happy Christmas Jin" Hwoarang said, taking Jin's hand and leading him down the hall to his bedroom.  
  
He pushed Jin down on the bed and climbed onto him, straddling him again. He pulled his top off and threw it across the room into the laundry pile. Jin gazed at Hwoarang's gorgeously toned body and caressed his creamy skin. Hwoarang leaned down and kissed Jin deeply and stripped his shirt from his shoulders. Jin ran his fingers through Hwoarangs silky, red locks and kissed along his jaw line and down his neck, tasting his sweet skin. Hwoarang moaned softly and sat back, pulling Jin up with him. Jin kissed along his collarbone, then down his chest. Hwoarang's fingers tangled themselves in Jin's raven hair. He started to drift off into his own little world, when he felt himself being turned around and pushed down. Jin was over him now, and he gazed into his eyes. Jin flashed him a little smile and kissed his chest, moving down to his perfectly toned stomach. His fingers brushed along the waistband of Hwoarang's leather jeans and slipped underneath it. Hwoarang groaned with pleasure and writhed on the bed. He felt Jin's hands slide inside fully and gasped. Jin unbuttoned the jeans and pulled them off. Hwoarang felt suddenly very self-conscious, which was totally unlike him, and curled up a little.  
  
"Don't." Jin whispered "Please, Hwoarang."  
  
"I'm sorry" Hwoarang apologised "It's just that I've never done this before. Well, not with another guy anyway."  
  
"Would you prefer it if we didn't then?"  
  
Hwoarang looked up at him, the corner of his mouth turned up in a little grin.  
  
"I didn't say that" he said seductively.  
  
Jin smiled and kissed him again. He stripped his own jeans off and pulled the covers over them. Hwoarang's arms tightened around Jin's waist.  
  
"I'll never let you go..." he whispered in Jin's ear.  
  
"So much for being my rival." Jin replied and kissed him softly on the cheek "I realise now why I tried to find you."  
  
"Why?" Hwoarang enquired.  
  
"I think...well, I love you, and I think I was trying to find you to tell you that without realising it."  
  
Hwoarang grinned in his usual cocky way.  
  
"In love with a street punk? Your parents are going to be thrilled," he said.  
  
"Tell me, do you feel the same way or..." Jin cut off, not wanting to say it. Hwoarang looked thoughtful for a moment.  
  
"In all honesty, I don't know. I've never felt 'love' towards any of the girls  
  
I've been with so I don't know what it feels like. But, I do feel something very strongly towards you, I just don't know if it's love or not."  
  
"Well" Jin said, about to give some of his famous lessons in human emotion, "do you get butterflies every time you see me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you think about me a lot?"  
  
"Yeah I guess so."  
  
"Could you see yourself with me twenty-four-seven?"  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"Do you fantasize about having sex with me?"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
Jin smiled.  
  
"Well, do you?"  
  
"Um...errrh...yes?"  
  
"There you go then. I do all that and then some about you, and I know I'm in love so I guess that means..."  
  
"I love you Jin!!!" Hwoarang interrupted, shouting it all over the apartment. A bang on the wall let them know Mr Lee had heard too.  
  
"Keep it down!" he screeched through the plaster "Not all of us want to know every detail about your bedroom habits!!!" Hwoarang shouted an apology and looked at Jin, who had quite clearly lost all drive he had at the old mans comment.  
  
"Maybe we should leave it for tonight hm?" he suggested. Hwoarang nodded an agreement. Jin slid off him and lay at his side. Hwoarang turned to face him and wrapped his arms around Jin's body. Jin kissed his forehead and settled down. Hwoarang fell asleep first, and Jin followed soon after, holding onto the Korean tightly as though someone would come in the middle of the night t steal him away. 


	9. Better than Coffee

Okay, this chapter has finally got the huge YAOI warning. Got that? This chapter has YAOI, don't like don't read. Oh yea, by the way, YAOI!!!!! There, now don't say I didn't warn you. If you don't like or you're not supposed to be reading this (it does have a warning on it, several in fact) then I suggest you click the 'back' button right now, or at least before you get to paragraph 5, comprende? Good. Now, on with the story ^_^  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jin woke up and groaned softly. His left arm was completely numb and he had a touch of hangover. He tried to turn over but his arm was pinned in place. He opened his eyes and looked to his side, where a cute, redheaded Korean was sleeping soundly. Hwoarang stirred when Jin tried again to pull his arm from beneath his body, and snuggled further into the duvet. Jin winced; it was getting to the point where it was hurting. He nudged Hwoarang gently, though it had no effect on the other boys alcohol induced sleep, so he tried again, nudging him accidentally harder than he had meant too. Hwoarang sat bolt upright as though someone had shoved a knife up through the mattress into him and looked around the room.  
  
"Morning" Jin said, actually startling Hwoarang. He moved his dead arm and flexed the muscles in attempt to get the blood flow going again. Hwoarang sighed with relief and fell back onto the pillow.  
  
"Morning" he repeated, turning onto his side o face Jin, who kissed him good morning. He moved closer to the Japanese boy and settled against his body. Jin kissed the op of Hwoarang's head lightly and groaned again.  
  
"I don't suppose you have aspirins, do you?" he asked. Hwoarang thought about it for a second before remembering his emergency stash of medical stuff in the bathroom, which he needed more often than not after a night out with Xion and Ripley, not because he suffered hangovers, but because of the bar brawls they had a tendency to get involved with. Or even start sometimes.  
  
"Yeah, I'll go and get you some" he said, getting up out of the bed and pulling his jeans on. He went to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet, where his medical supplies where kept. After some searching around, he located the aspirin and took two to Jin along with a glass of water. Jin swallowed them and washed them down with the water. Hwoarang took the glass and put it on the bedside table, then pounced on Jin. He kissed him and sat up, still on Jin.  
  
"Mr Lee will be out now." he said, grinning, "How about we finish from where we left off?"  
  
Jin smiled and Hwoarang leaned down to kiss him deeply. Jin worked Hwoarang's jeans off then flipped him over onto the bed.  
  
"Headache's gone." he said, grinning "My turn to have some fun." He kissed Hwoarang's chest and gently pushed into him. Hwoarang gasped and his back arched at the feeling of Jin inside him. It hurt, but it felt so good at the same time. He winced a little at the sharp pain that came every so often. Jin looked down at him.  
  
"You okay?" he asked between breaths.  
  
"Yeah...go on, I'm fine" Hwoarang gasped.  
  
Jin did as he was told and pushed into him again, gently and slowly. Hwoarang moaned deeply, biting down on his lip to keep from crying out. The pain mixed with the overwhelming pleasure was almost too much to bear. He buried his fingers deep in Jin's thick, raven hair. Jin let out a short groan and came, shortly followed by Hwoarang. He collapsed onto him, breathing heavily. Hwoarang wrapped his arms around Jin's neck and held onto him, kissing him. Jin looked up into those gorgeous jade green eyes. Hwoarang smiled at him and kissed him again.  
  
"I hope Mr Lee really isn't in," he said "or he'll complain to Bernie and then I'll be in trouble."  
  
"Because of me." Jin said, grinning, "Who cares what the old toad thinks anyway, we had fun, didn't we?"  
  
"We did...why toad?"  
  
"Just seemed appropriate."  
  
"Fair enough."  
  
Jin kisses Hwoarang's forehead lightly then pushed himself up and got out of the bed. He pulled his jeans on and searched for his shirt. Hwoarang got up too and dressed. He found Jin's shirt and handed it to him.  
  
"Thanks." Jin said, "I have to go now, but I'll come back sometime, okay?"  
  
Hwoarang looked hurt. He glared at Jin and frowned.  
  
"Sometime? What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"I have to go Hwoa, I don't have time for this."  
  
"What? So all I am is a quick fuck? A place to stay and something other than coffee in the morning?!"  
  
Jin looked down, shaking his head. He approached Hwoarang and took his hand, sliding the other around his waist.  
  
"No, Hwoa" he said, "You're so much more than that I couldn't even begin to tell you. It's just that if I don't leave now, I could be putting you in danger."  
  
Hwoarang wasn't convinced. He pulled away from Jin and sat on the edge of his bed.  
  
"I've heard some excuses in my life Jin Kazama." He started "But I have to say that was probably the lamest one yet."  
  
Jin looked exasperated.  
  
"Remember me telling you that my grandfather killed my father Kazuya?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, there's a company called G-Corporation, and they specialise in bio- research. They found my fathers body at the bottom of the volcano and somehow managed to resurrect him."  
  
Hwoarang was looking at him with his head cocked to the side. He grinned, and then burst out laughing. "Oh yeah! Sure! You're dead dad is alive again! That's a good one Jin! I'll remember that!"  
  
"Hwoa! I'm being serious! I didn't believe it at first either but he's back and he's pissed off. He's after Heihachi and probably after me too. He can find me easily if I don't keep on the move and if he finds me here and finds out about us then he'll probably kill you too!"  
  
Hwoarang still wasn't fully convinced. He got up and kissed Jin then stepped back.  
  
"If you want to go you only needed to say so, I'd have understood" he said, still smirking.  
  
"No Hwoa" Jin said, taking Hwoarang in his arms again "If it were up to me I'd stay here forever with you, but I can't. As soon as everything is ok, I promise to come back to you."  
  
Hwoarang leaned his head on Jin's shoulder, still unable to wipe the ridiculous smirk of his face.  
  
"Okay, just make sure you do" he said. Jin nodded. He released Hwoarang from his arms and went to the front door and out into the hall. He kissed Hwoarang goodbye.  
  
"Not in the hall please" a stern voice interrupted. Hwoarang looked down the hall and grinned.  
  
"Sorry Bernie." he apologised "If you're looking for Mr Lee, he's out."  
  
"I'm looking for you" Bernie replied, "I've got workmen coming tomorrow so I'll need to get into your apartment. Just letting you know."  
  
"Thanks" Hwoarang said, "I'll tidy up then" he gave Jin a little kiss and said goodbye. Bernie looked thoroughly disgusted, turned away and waddled back down the hall. Jin followed and Hwoarang closed the door.  
  
***  
  
The rest of the day was mind numbingly boring. Hwoarang did make a half- assed attempt at cleaning his apartment, but didn't get any further than the living room. He gave in after clearing away the empty beer bottles and crashed on the couch instead watching daytime TV. Something about unsolved mysteries grabbed his attention at around nine that night, and he watched half of it before falling into another alcohol-aided sleep. Typically, someone knocking hell out of the door woke him up, and he padded up the hall to answer it. He opened the door, and whoever it was, was stood with their back to him. Silk shirt, raven-black hair and strong muscles visible beneath the material. Hwoarang broke into a grin.  
  
"Jin?!"  
  
The visitor turned around and looked at him.  
  
"You're not..."  
  
"Correct" the visitor said, "I'm not Jin, but he was here. Where is he?"  
  
Hwoarang studied the newcomers face. Same jet-black hair, same nose, same eyes with their strangely unnerving shine.  
  
"You must be Kazuya." Hwoarang realised "I can see where Jin gets his looks from."  
  
Kazuya stirred.  
  
"Looks? Meaning what exactly?"  
  
"Yeah..." Hwoarang continued, avoiding the question "He's a good looking guy, just like his dad."  
  
He looked back to Kazuya, who's expression showed building rage.  
  
'Cool' Hwoarang thought, ever the mischief-maker whilst under the influence of a few shots of tequila 'I can have some fun with this.'  
  
"Mind you" he said, giving Kazuya his patented cocky grin "I don't suppose you are as good in bed as he is?"  
  
Kazuya snapped and lunged at Hwoarang, his eyes glowing fiercely. Hwoarang gulped nervously, wondering what exactly he had just gotten himself into. Kazuya pinned him against the wall, and Hwoarang noted that his skin was taking on a rather fetching shade of purple. Curious electric sparks began appearing around Kazuya's body, and his eyes were red now.  
  
'Oh fuck'  
  
"My son? Good in bed? And you would know?"  
  
Hwoarang would have probably nodded, but his throat was being crushed by Kazuya's strong hand and prevented him from moving his head at all.  
  
"I thought as much" Kazuya added, as though he had read Hwoarang's thoughts. His grip suddenly loosed and Hwoarang fell to the floor, choking and trying to breathe with his bruised windpipe. Kazuya stood over him, then bent down and took hold of a handful of his flame red hair and pulled Hwoarang's head up to face him.  
  
"Tell me Hwoarang, where is my son exactly?" Hwoarang shuddered that Kazuya knew his name. He shook his head as best he could. Kazuya dragged him up and launched him across the hall into the wall of the sitting room. He choked out that he didn't know where Jin was and put a hand to the back of his head, where a sharp pain had established itself. His hair felt like it was sticky with...  
  
"Blood..." he felt himself beginning to pass out. He looked up and saw Kazuya advancing on him. He kicked out, catching his attacker in the stomach and stopping him long enough to crawl across the floor to the window. What he was going to do there, he didn't know, but he felt better not being so close to the raving lunatic Jin called his father.  
  
His head felt as though it were a helium balloon, and the dull ache was slowly becoming more intense. He began to slide down the wall, and lay on his side. The blood in his hair felt thicker now and the pain intensified. He looked up and saw the blurred outline of a figure, purple skinned, blood- red eyes, horns and huge bat-like wings coming closer. He choked out a whispered cry, and his world went black around him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
There we go ^_^ if you just read this and thought 'Ick!!! Boys on boys!!!! Ohh nasty!!!!' then you obviously paid noooooo attention to the warnings at all n its your own fault! If you did read it and enjoyed it, then umm....rate, comment n all the rest of it ^_^ anyway, I'd best get writing the next chapter. Kaine xx 


	10. Follow Your Heart

"Hwoarang? Come on Hwoa, wake up!"  
  
He awoke to the sound of Baek frantically shouting his name and slapping his face. His head hurt like a bitch. Hwoarang groaned and sat up, his head spinning.  
  
"Welcome back." Baek said, and looked around the room "What the fuck happened here?"  
  
Hwoarang followed Baek's gaze and looked around the sitting room. It was a mess. Every drawer had been emptied on the floor as though someone had searched them, and items usually found in the bedroom had found their way here too. Even the kitchen was in a state that looked like a bomb had hit it. Baek supported him and lifted him to his feet.  
  
"Come on Hwoa, get it together," he said. Hwoarang slumped onto the couch and leaned over the side. Baek noticed his hair was matted with blood and moved it to check the wound. The feeling of the movement combined with the throbbing headache and dizziness made Hwoarang feel nauseous. His mouth watered, the he threw up on the carpet and fell back into the couch.  
  
"Shit..." Baek muttered "Don't fall asleep Hwoa, you're concussed." He fetched a cloth and cleaned up the vomit, then helped Hwoarang to the bathroom and positioned him over the toilet, into which he threw up again. Baek took the flannel from the sink and began to clean up the bloody congealed mess in Hwoarang's hair.  
  
"Kazuya..." Hwoarang muttered, "Where is he?"  
  
"Who's Kazuya?" Baek asked. Gently cleaning the wound with antiseptic wipes he found by chance the medicine cupboard.  
  
"Jin... I have to tell him... I've got to find Jin..."  
  
"Ohh hold on, you're not going anywhere." Baek instructed, "You're in no state to go running off after people. Who's Kazuya anyway?"  
  
Hwoarang sat against the wall.  
  
"Jin's father. He's a fucking psychopath. He's not human. He was here, and he's after Jin now..."  
  
"He did this to you?"  
  
Hwoarang looked down at the tiled floor, biting back the anger and embarrassment. He felt sick again.  
  
"Yeah." he mumbled "Yeah, he did. Not such a good student after all am I?"  
  
Baek smiled.  
  
"No, a bad student would have totally given in on himself. You on the other hand want to go after Jin and warn him, don't you?"  
  
Hwoarang nodded in agreement. The sickness had gone now.  
  
"And you probably want to give Kazuya back as good as he gave you because that's just how you are, and I'm not going to bother trying to advise you otherwise because it's just going to go in one ear and out the other."  
  
Hwoarang had to agree with that. It wasn't in his nature to let people get away with things like this. He stood up, and waited to regain his balance. He had a quick drink of water and went to get changed. He put on his leather jeans and his favourite top, the purple one with the rams head on the back. If he was going to kick some ass, he may as well look the part. He picked up his keys and leather bike gloves, and dug out his cyber-esq. eye goggles that served no other purpose than to keep his hair back, he didn't approve of looking like a fly. He still felt slightly groggy, but he wasn't about to let that stop him now. Baek accompanied him down to the parking lot. Hwoarang swung his leg over the saddle of his bike and started it up. He sat back to pull the wrist straps of his gloves tighter.  
  
"Don't you ever wear a helmet?" Baek asked.  
  
"No" came the answer "they give me hat-hair." He grinned at Baek who ruffled his hair playfully.  
  
"Wouldn't matter, it's always a mess" he said, "Now, get lost. And good luck."  
  
Hwoarang kicked his heel up, dislodged the bikes stand and put his feet on the rests. The bike rolled slowly forward a bit before he gave it more gas and it shot like a bat out of hell out of the parking lot and through the streets.  
  
Hwoarang wasn't paying attention to the direction in which he was going. He knew that if Jin was still in the town, or anywhere near it, he would find him regardless. He ignored the traffic lights and road signs, gave no leeway when he should have and totally forgot that pedestrians have right of way on pelican crossings. Some inconsiderate prick decided at one point to get out of his car and give Hwoaang a piece of his mind. The driver was short and fat, reminding Hwoarang of Bernie, although this guy was cleanly shaven and wearing a business suit. He slammed the door of his Jag and stalked towards Hwoarang.  
  
"What in the name of Hell are you playing at?!" he spat, his face turning scarlet. Hwoarang didn't even bother to look at him.  
  
"Piss off buddy" he growled, "I'm in no mood for bullshit."  
  
"How dare you speak to me like that? You youngsters have no respect for your elders!" the driver continued. Hwoarang looked up and glared evilly at him, then a bitter smile crossed his lips.  
  
"If you don't fuck off and mind your own business, then I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm feeling pretty unstable right now, so it'll probably involve snapping your neck. So go forth and multiply, okay?"  
  
"I've a good mind to call the police!"  
  
Hwoarang grinned sadistically and reached into the man's breast pocket, took his cell-phone out and handed it to him.  
  
"Knock yourself out," he said, then kicked the bike back into action and took off down the road out into the surrounding countryside.  
  
As it turned out, Mr Jag-driver was as good as his word, and it wasn't long before Hwoarang heard the overly familiar sound of sirens somewhere back down the narrow country lane. He groaned inwardly. It would be easy to loose them out here though; the area was one big thicket of trees and not to many open spaces. He gave the bike a little more gas and followed the twisting road blindly. For all he knew, he could be totally lost within the next hour with no hope of finding his way home, but best not to think of that now.  
  
'Just follow your instincts, Hwoa' he told himself 'you'll find him. Everything will be fine.'  
  
It was getting dark now, and rain was falling making his grip on the handlebars slippery. His fingers felt slightly numb with the cold and he found himself wishing he had picked up his jacket. The rain lashed at his face and wet tendrils of hair whipped in his eyes. He rode until he reached a split in the road. He took one look and took the left one. The road sloped down here into a valley, and a farmhouse was nestled just out of sight of the road. Hwoarang turned into the gravel drive and rode up to the house. The rain was beating down hard, and he hugged himself for warmth. The house looked old and deserted...wait. No, not deserted. Someone was in there. He pushed the bike into the bushes at the side of the house so it was totally out of site, and then opened the houses' front door. It squeaked on its old, rusted hinges and Hwoarang listened in case he had disturbed whoever it was that was in here. He held back a sneeze as he stepped in; the place was as dusty as his vinyl collection. The floorboards creaked eerily. He stopped and looked into the uninviting darkness ahead of him. Something in the shadows moved.  
  
'A cat' he reasoned 'a bloody big one though. Okay, a dog then, maybe a fucking wolf or a bear.' He argued with himself in his head, then was distracted when he heard the rustle of wings. Big wings.  
  
'An owl, a falcon, an eagle...' he thought, panicking. He didn't like this one bit. Whatever was making the noise took form suddenly and stood up. The figure of a person appeared in the shadows. Whoever it was, they made Hwoarang feel pretty damn petrified. He started to step back slowly so as not to draw attention to himself. A loose floorboard creaked loudly under his feet and he froze. The figure turned and Hwoarang got the feeling it was staring right at him.  
  
"Um, hi err... sorry if I'm intruding, I'll just go okay?" he stammered, backing up faster now.  
  
"Hwoarang?"  
  
"Jin?"  
  
Jin stepped out of the shadows. He looked tired, run down and had the tell tale look of a man who had gone without sleep for longer then was probably appropriate. He smiled weakly and sank back to the floor. Hwoarang hurried over and kneeled down next to him.  
  
"Christ you're in a right state" he muttered. Jin drew his knees up and leaned with his back to the wall behind him.  
  
"So are you" Jin replied. He reached a hand up and gently ran his fingers over a gash just above Hwoarang's eyebrow. "What have you been getting yourself into?"  
  
"That's what I need to tell you actually" Hwoarang started "I had a bit of an encounter with your dad."  
  
"What? With my father?" Jin said. Hwoarang nodded.  
  
"Yeah. He was looking for you and when I told him I didn't know where you where, he just kind of went ape-shit on me. The bastard K.O'ed me, ransacked my apartment then left me there to bleed to death."  
  
Jin looked furious. "That bastard. This is all my fault Hwoa, if I hadn't left this wouldn't have happened!"  
  
"No Jin, if you hadn't left he would have found you and done god-knows-what to you. I'd rather you were relatively safe."  
  
Jin smiled and Hwoarang hugged him as tightly as he could without hurting himself anymore. He knelt in front of Jin so he could face him properly.  
  
"Speaking of finding me" Jin said, "how did you manage that exactly?"  
  
"I guess I just kind of followed my heart" Hwoarang replied, and grinned at how cheesy he sounded. Jin laughed at him and stood up.  
  
"Come on" he said, holding out a hand o pull the redhead up too "we should get going if Kazuya is still looking for me, it wont take him long to find me here."  
  
"You're right, it didn't take long."  
  
Jin turned to the door, startled. Hwoarang yelped and jumped back. Kazuya loomed in the darkness before them. No one made a move, least of all Hwoarang who wasn't up for another round with Kazuya. After the initial shock, it was Jin who spoke first.  
  
"What do you want?" he questioned, somehow managing to keep his cool. Kazuya made a step forwards and Jin retreated slightly. Kazuya let his defences down.  
  
"Look," he said, "I'm not here to fight you or anything of the sort, I came to warn you Jin."  
  
"Warn me? And in the process you had to assault Hwoarang who was just trying to help me?"  
  
Kazuya glared at the Korean who was taking refuge behind his son. Hwoarang smiled weakly.  
  
"I apologise for that. It was the devil..."  
  
"Don't give me that 'devil' bullshit!" Jin exploded "I've heard it all before! You just can't take responsibility for your own actions!"  
  
"You know what I mean when I say that devil made me do it." Kazuya said much more calmly that his son "It happens to you too and as much as you want to deny it, the devil is a part of you. You may have managed to contain it better than I up until now because of your mother's blood, but sooner or later you will do something you live to regret and you can't help that!"  
  
Hwoarang had lost track by now. Devil? What did they mean? He thought about, and had a brief flashback.  
  
~*'My head hurts...I think I'm bleeding'  
  
'Where's Kazuya? What are you? You're not human! Get away!'  
  
'He's insane'  
  
'He doesn't realise what he's doing'  
  
'He's a fucking demon!'*~  
  
Everything suddenly made sense. Back at the apartment, Kazuya had seemed like he had no control over his actions, then he was gone and there was...a demon. A huge demon complete with wings, horns and scales. That was him? That thing was Kazuya in his devil form. And that meant that Jin had devil blood too.  
  
"Holy fuck" he muttered. Jin looked back at him.  
  
"What is it Hwoa?"  
  
"You mean to tell me that you become a big, slavering demon thing just like he does??" he screeched, pointing accusingly at Kazuya.  
  
"Slavering? I do not slaver!"  
  
"No, not quite" Jin explained.  
  
"And just when were you planning on telling me this?! After you put me in hospital or something?"  
  
"No Hwoa, I just didn't know how to tell you, it's not something I can just tell anyone you know!"  
  
"Yeah, no shit!"  
  
"Listen Hwoa, I love you and I would never do anything to hurt you!"  
  
"Sure! You wouldn't but what about devil? He'd probably get a kick out of beating me to death with a golf club!"  
  
"You love him?!"  
  
Jin turned to look at Kazuya, who was stood with a bemused expression on his face.  
  
"Yes. I love him, got a problem with that?"  
  
"No, not really" Kazuya said, "It just explains why you never showed any interest in that Xiaoyu girl."  
  
Hwoarang was slowly starting to calm down. Everything was fine for the time being, just probably best not to upset either Jin or his dad.  
  
"So anyway" he interrupted the squabbling pair "what was it that you had to warn Jin about?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Oh my it's all getting rather dramatic lol. So what does Kazuya have to tell Jin? Does this mean the end between him and Hwoarang? Why can't I get inspiration enough to do my art for school? Answers in the next chapter!!! Kaine xx 


	11. The Zaibatsu

Awkward silence. Hwoarang looked pointedly at Kazuya and waited for an answer. Jin did the same. Kazuya folded his arms across his chest and a bitter expression formed on his face.  
  
"Heihachi is looking for you Jin" he said "and no doubt for me too. He raided G-Corporation's labs and found files concerning what happened with me so now he's after us both."  
  
"Why?" Jin asked, puzzled "He's got no reason, the Mishima Empire is his no matter what because I don't want it and neither do you, so why go to all this trouble just for revenge?"  
  
"He doesn't want revenge" Kazuya explained "he wants the devil gene in our blood for himself, and he needs us both so it will work and become dominant instead of recessive in him."  
  
Hwoarang interrupted again.  
  
"So you're saying he wants to take your genes and implant them in himself? Okay, I'll buy that, but why?"  
  
"World domination probably" Jin said "He's a little over ambitious like that,"  
  
"Sounds like the plot from some shit low budget B-Movie" Hwoarang muttered. He looked at Kazuya.  
  
"Could we have a moment alone please?"  
  
Kazuya looked from Hwoarang to Jin and nodded hesitantly. He left the little house and went to stand outside.  
  
Hwoarang turned to Jin.  
  
"Listen baby" he started "As much as I care for you and all the rest of it, I feel slightly uneasy knowing I had sex with a half demon the other night. I don't want to loose you Jin but I don't want you to suddenly turn on me either."  
  
Jin sighed and took the Korean in his arms.  
  
"I would never do anything to hurt you", he said, kissing him lightly on the side of his neck "I wont suddenly turn on you, I do have some control over it."  
  
"But your dad just said it will eventually become stronger, and what then?"  
  
"I wont let it happen" Jin assured him "I can control it, and I can learn how to control it better."  
  
Hwoarang sighed. He laid his head on Jin's shoulder.  
  
"Hypothetically, let's say that you, 'turned', and did something stupid. What then?"  
  
"I'd spend the rest of my life making it up to you."  
  
"You couldn't if I was dead."  
  
Jin stepped back from Hwoarang. He was exasperated and getting annoyed. The Korean folded his arms and stood looking at Jin, waiting for an answer. Jin shook his head and ran a hand back through his hair.  
  
"You know, you're not making this any easier," he said.  
  
"Oh? And it was meant to be easy? I'm sorry Jin but this is kinda freaking me out a bit."  
  
"Are you two done?" Kazuya asked as he stepped back into the building.  
  
Hwoarang nodded. He gave Jin a little peck on the cheek and smiled sadly.  
  
"Good. We need to get going Jin, and I suggest you come with us Hwoarang. No doubt if the Tekkenshu find you then they'll kill you too," Kazuya said. They followed him out into the cold rain. Thunder rumbled dully overhead and the rain showed no signs of easing off. Kazuya unlocked the door of the car he had arrived in and motioned for them to get in. Hwoarang hesitated.  
  
"My bike" he said, motioning back towards the bushes. Kazuya shook his head in disapproval.  
  
"No. Leave it," he instructed, "it's too risky if were travelling separately."  
  
Hwoarang agreed reluctantly. Jin got into the shotgun seat and Kazuya behind the wheel. Hwoarang opened the back door and got in. He looked up and saw Jin's beautiful brown eyes in the rear view mirror looking back at him. He looked away and stared blindly out of the window. The car started and he sighed heavily, watching as the house grew further away and the view became blocked by bushes. Kazuya and Jin were arguing, but he paid no attention. He wondered if Baek and Xion would realise he was gone and do something like call in a missing person, but then they would probably just presume he had gone away for a few days without telling anyone. He started to drift off to sleep, he never lasted long on car journeys.  
  
*** Why is it so cold? Jin? Jin where are you? Oh my God, this is so wrong. What's wrong with me? Why can't I move? I can't speak, I try but nothing comes out. It's like I'm tied down but I can't feel my body anymore. I can't breathe! Shit, am I dying here? I don't want to die alone! What are you doing? Why are you holding that knife? Don't! I'm not here, I'm not here, I'm not here...  
  
Hwoarang woke startled. He felt cold and realised he wasn't in the car anymore. He sat up and his head throbbed again. He swore and felt the back of his skull. The hair was wet, but not with blood, it was rain-soaked. He looked around curiously at the dimly lit room he was now in.  
  
"Why does all the weird shit happen to me?" he asked himself. He thought back. He remembered the car and he remembered driving down the country roads, and Jin and Kazuya arguing about something. He remembered the dream, someone stood over him with a knife in his hand. No, it wasn't a dream, the cut in his arm proved that theory. He didn't remember what happened in between leaving that farmhouse and waking up, but he knew something was wrong. He checked himself, no broken bones or horrible wounds that could stop him getting out of here. He realised his top was missing which probably explained why he felt so cold. Jin and Kazuya where nowhere to be seen, and he daren't call them. He drew his knees up and leaned his forehead on them. The stone wall behind him was freezing against his skin. The room was like a dungeon, he noticed iron shackles on the walls, then noticed the red rings around his wrists, no doubt caused by them. Nothing made sense. How could he have gone from being in a car with Jin and Kazuya, then ended up alone in some prison without remembering how he got there?  
  
He gave in thinking, his head hurt too much. He knew he had been knocked out again, but who by? And why? He didn't much care right now. He looked around again, noting the torches on the wall and the iron door in the corner.  
  
"Nice decor" he said into the darkness "Must get in touch with the designer." He laughed bitterly, he didn't even know if he would live to even speak to Xion again, never mind an interior design celebrity. Right now, everything sucked majorly and he stood up, slightly shaky at first. He was the only one in here, that was obvious. The feeling of solitude totally overwhelmed him. He tried the door but wasn't all that surprised to find it locked, bolted and probably welded shut. He wondered if he was going to get fed. He sank down onto the stone floor again and amused himself with watching the torch flames flicker, casting strange shadows about the room. Might as well just wait this out, if there was no way to get out of the room. He watched the oranges and yellows blend together and dance around on their stakes, until someone finally threw the gas switch and they went out.  
  
"Spoilsport..." Hwoarang muttered. He heard muffled footsteps outside the door, and it opened mechanically, throwing a column of light over him. Three men, their faces hidden by full-fronted helmets, stepped in. They were armed, Hwoarang noticed. Oh well, been shot once, may as well risk it again.  
  
"Get up" the one in front ordered him.  
  
"Make me."  
  
The other two stepped forward and pulled out what appeared to be tazers. He laughed nervously.  
  
"Okay fine" he said as he got to his feet. One of the guards produced some unusually hi-tech looking handcuffs and stepped around behind Hwoarang to bind his wrists. He complained about them being too tight and received a slap across the face from the guard who appeared to be in charge. He laughed sadistically.  
  
"You punch like a girl, you know" he told the guard "No, I've been hit harder by girls."  
  
The guard hit him again, harder.  
  
"Watch your tongue," he growled, pushing Hwoarang back into the wall and stepping right up to him. "If I didn't know better, I'd have thought you were a girl, especially after hearing the way that Kazama guy was calling your name."  
  
"Jin's okay?" Hwoarang asked no one in particular. He was thankful; hell he was ecstatic to know that at least Jin was alive.  
  
"Yeah, your boys' okay, for now anyway. When Heihachi has his way though, it's gonna be a very different story."  
  
"Heihachi... where the fuck am I? What is this place??" Hwoarang screamed at the guard. The guard laughed to himself as though Hwoarang had just asked him what colour the sky was.  
  
"You're in the Mishima Zaibatzu compound kid, Heihachi's waiting for you, come on."  
  
He grabbed Hwoarang's arm and pulled him forwards roughly. The other two guards left the room and stood outside. Hwoarang saw his chance. He pulled back sharply out of the guards grip and kicked him in the groin sending him to the floor. The other two, hearing the commotion, reappeared in the doorway, guns raised. Throwing caution to the wind, Hwoarang ran at them with his head down. The guard in front was bowled over and crashed into the one behind, knocking him out. The first guard was crawling across the floor, reaching out for his own weapon. Hwoarang kicked it out of the way and ran for the door. In the corridor, he turned left and sped down it towards the staircase at the end. Gunfire echoed behind him and bullets ricocheted off the walls. He bounded up the staircase, struggling against the cuffs. They were beginning to seem impossible to break out of when the iron on his right wrist bent and snapped.  
  
He paused to look at his hands and the twisted metal of the broken cuff.  
  
'And apparently I do have super-human powers' he thought. He could easily get the other cuff off his wrist now, and he dropped them before taking off down the new corridor. He ran through the various, rabbit-warren-like halls, past empty rooms and at one point ended up in what appeared to be a personal dojo. He ran through the dojo to the door on the other side and came out in yet another long corridor with various turn offs. He groaned. His legs were aching and his head hurt, but he started down the corridor anyway, taking the second turn off. The huge doors at the end looked like they lead to somewhere important. The doors were heavily polished, painted a rich emerald green and had the Mishima insignia engraved into them and painted gold. There were no handles, just two huge iron rings designed to look like two dragons curling around themselves.  
  
He gulped. The doors themselves were intimidating enough, and god only knew what was on the other side. Hwoarang listened carefully. He couldn't hear movement or voices beyond them, but then there was no telling how thick the doors were. He decided to take his chances anyway. He checked back down the hall to make sure he wasn't being followed and pushed on the wood. At first the door didn't move, and Hwoarang wondered if it was somehow locked from the other side. He pushed again, but harder, and the door shifted slightly then creaked its way open.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Oh no! what's on the other side of the door?? Hehe this is like a pantomime, ~shouts~ 'NNNNOOOO don't go in there!!!!!'.......ahem ^_^ anyways, sorry if this is a bit crap, I had the WORST case of writers block EVER! I even had friends trying to help me with it! Anyways, hope it wasn't to awful, see you soon Kaine xx 


	12. Devil

Darkness swallowed him as the door opened. He stepped through, straining his eyes to see into the endless black. The room suddenly lit as the door settled back into its frame, and Hwoarang was astounded at the sheer size of it. It was more like a hall, no, more like a temple. Two huge pillars stood at he opposite end of the hall, and what looked like some kind of altar was erected in the middle of the floor. He stepped up and looked at it. A book, written in Japanese was placed there and he didn't understand a word of it. A dagger, a silver bowl and some cloth were also laid on it. He reached out to touch the dagger, when a sound, like metal clanking, made him jump back. He looked around the room, his breathing shaky from having being startled. His eyes focused more in the darkness and his gaze fell on someone sat against one of the huge stone pillars. He froze, not moving a muscle and tried to see who it was. They were injured, he saw a cut in their side. It looked sore but no too threatening. They raised their head, and Hwoarang saw the familiar brown eyes looking back at him.  
  
"Jin..." he gasped and ran over to the Japanese boy. Jin looked like he was stoned; his eyes were emotionless like he was an empty shell. Hwoarang brushed Jin's raven hair from his face and looked into is eyes. "Jin? Jin baby come on, it's me, wake up Jin!!"  
  
Jin snapped back as though someone had flicked a switch inside him and looked quickly around the room.  
  
"Hwoa?" he said, breathing a sigh of relief. Hwoarang wrapped his arms around Jin's waist, and he winced with pain.  
  
"Sorry" the Korean apologised, loosening his grip "I'm just so glad I found you."  
  
"Yeah," Jin agreed "I'm glad you're okay, I had no idea what they had done too you. I was so worried..."  
  
"What happened? I can remember being in the car and...then I was here? I don't understand."  
  
Jin took a deep breath in and moved himself so he was sitting more comfortably. His side was hurting now, a dull, throbbing ache. He ignored it and started to tell Hwoarang.  
  
"They were waiting for us" he started "they ambushed us and shot Kazu- ...my father then dragged him away. You were asleep but when you woke up they shot you too. Turn out they were only tranquilliser darts because they got me. I woke up soon after though and Heihachi was stood over you with a dagger, he threatened to kill you there and then if I didn't behave. One of the Tekkenshu decided to take me on in a fight and stabbed me instead, and I think I passed out."  
  
"Do you have any idea what Heihachi wants me for? I mean I know he wants the devil gene from you and Kazuya, but why me?"  
  
"To make me cooperate" Jin said glumly "and it works. I don't want anything to happen to you Hwoa, and if it means my own death then so be it."  
  
Hwoarang felt a tear slip down his cheek. He wiped it quickly away so Jin wouldn't see, but he already had. It triggered a reaction in Hwoarang and tears cascaded uncontrollably down his face. Jin looked up at him, and it caught like the plague. His tears mixed with Hwoarang's as the redhead leant forward to embrace him.  
  
"Why does this have to happen?" Hwoarang choked out. Jin shook his head.  
  
"If I knew, I'd tell you" he replied, "It's him, it's Heihachi. It's all his fault!"  
  
Hwoarang sat back and wiped the tears from his eyes. He picked up the chain that bound Jin to the stone pillar and forced out a short laugh.  
  
"Hey, we could make some good use of these, what do you think?"  
  
"Hell yeah" Jin agreed if you can wrench them out of the stone first."  
  
Hwoarang leant down and kissed Jin softly.  
  
"I love you" he said "and I always will. I'm not going to let this get between us."  
  
Jin smiled weakly.  
  
"Arigatu...Ai shiteru" he whispered. Hwoarang cocked his head to the side and smiled.  
  
"I have no idea what that meant, but I'm presuming it was good?"  
  
"It was."  
  
"Just checking." Hwoarang stroked Jin's warm cheek with his fingers affectionately. Suddenly, he looked back sharply over his shoulder, and focused on the doors he had come though.  
  
"Oh shit..." he muttered. They both heard the footsteps on the other side, and both saw the thin shaft of light that shone between the doors darken as someone's body blocked it out.  
  
"Go", Jin said, "get out now, Hwoa."  
  
"Fuck no" Hwoarang said defiantly "I'm not leaving you."  
  
"Go Hwoarang!"  
  
"No! I'm staying here!"  
  
Hwoarang threw his arms around Jin and struggled blindly with the chains behind him.  
  
"Come on!" he ordered them frantically. He tugged at them, trying to pull them free. Jin was still shouting for him to o, he was still refusing. The thought of leaving Jin to the mercy of whoever was on the other side of that door was too much. His arms tensed around Jin's body as he heard the doors open. He dropped the chains and looked back. The man stood at the door, surrounded by hoards of the Tekkenshu could have only been one person. Heihachi Mishima. He looked just like Kazuya, only much older. What hair he had was silvery grey, and his eyes were colder than ice. He waved a hand, and the Tekkenshu hurried forwards, surrounding the pillar. Hwoarang felt his stomach tighten like he was going to be sick. Heihachi stepped forwards and muttered something in Japanese to one of the Tekkenshu at his side. The soldier came forwards and pulled Hwoarang away from Jin by his shoulders.  
  
He clamped a pair of shackles onto Hwoarang's wrists and stepped back into line. Heihachi came forward and looked Hwoarang directly in the eye who changed his mind about hoe he had first seen him. He had certain elements of Kazuya, but those eyes were so totally emotionless it looked like a mask, plus Kazuya was much better looking than this monstrosity. Obviously, Jin had skipped on Heihachi's genes too. Heihachi smiled maliciously.  
  
"So, you're Jin's little friend from Korea? Hwoarang, isn't it??" he asked, circling the Korean slowly, hands held casually at the small of his back "What a surprise to find you here."  
  
"Fuck you" Hwoarang spat back, and received a hard blow below the ribs in return.  
  
"Watch your mouth boy" Heihachi snarled. He turned back to the door and clapped his hands twice. Two Tekkenshu appeared through it dragging Kazuya's unconscious body behind them. They dumped him by the altar in the room's centre and joined the other soldiers.  
  
"Now, we're ready..." Heihahi said. He approached the altar, stepping over his son as though he wasn't even there, and picked up a book and the dagger. Three Tekkenshu restrained Hwoarang while another three released Jin from his bindings and brought him to the altar's front, pushing him down into a forced kneel. Kazuya was injected with a substance that caused him to stir and begin to regain his consciousness.  
  
"Now, turn" Heihachi ordered Jin. Jin looked up at him blankly.  
  
"Whatever do you mean?" he asked with a sarcastic tone in his voice.  
  
"You know perfectly well what I mean now turn! Let the devil out!"  
  
"I can't" Jin said calmly "You're going to have to really piss me off for that, and I warn you, you will regret it."  
  
Heihachi laughed manically. He raised his hand and struck Jin across the face hard. Jin barely flinched. He laughed as though he had just been punched by a five year old. Kazuya was looking around, thoroughly disorientated. He spotted Hwoarang, who made a silent plea to him for help. Kazuya obviously understood, because he nodded and turned to look at Heihachi.  
  
"Leave my son alone" he growled. Jin looked and sighed thankfully at seeing his father capable of speech at least, then realised how strange it was that he was thankful to be seeing Kazuya anything but six feet under.  
  
Heihachi let out that disturbing laughter again.  
  
"You useless scum" he insulted "you're nothing to me on your own. Your blood is no good without his."  
  
Hwoarang, who was now getting quite worried, decided now would probably be a good time to stop looking. He turned his head away and tried to imagine this wasn't happening. The Tekkenshu soldiers advanced on Kazuya and managed to restrain him too after a struggle. The pinned him face down on the cold stone slabs and held him there. Heihachi turned back to Jin.  
  
"Now turn!" he said, hitting him with each demand, "Turn! Turn!"  
  
Jin did nothing. Nothing Heihachi did could rouse the anger in him. Heihachi looked up, his eyes falling on the redhead. The malicious grin returned. He beckoned the Tekkenshu to him, and Hwoarang felt himself being dragged towards the altar. He saw the look in Heihachi's eyes and resisted, pulling back against the Tekkenshu soldiers. They overwhelmed him in the end, after more came to join the rather one-sided tug-of-war. He was dragged to the altar's steps and pushed onto his knees. Heihachi came to him and stepped behind him. The soldiers forced Jin to turn around and Hwoarang saw he fear in Jin's eyes as he felt a hand under his chin pull his head back and something cold and hard rest against his skin.  
  
"Turn, Kazama" Heihachi ordered again, pressing the cold object harder against Hwoarang's throat. A short, sharp pain shot through Hwoarang's neck and he realised Heihachi was holding the dagger's blade to his throat. He let out a little cry of panic and saw Jin's eyes flash with red, then blink it away.  
  
"Turn!" Heihachi shouted, jerking the dagger slightly and almost cutting into the delicate skin.  
  
"Don't Jin..." Hwoarang pleaded. His fear was showing now and sincerely thought for a moment that he was going to die.  
  
"Turn!!" Heihachi screeched.  
  
"No Jin!"  
  
"TURN!!"  
  
Jin looked up sharply. Hwoarang gasped when he saw his eyes. They burned like fire with anger, red like blood. Black tattoos had etched themselves across Jin's forehead and chest as if by magic. Jin rolled his shoulder and covered his head with his arms. Raven black-feathered wings burst out into full span from his back. Hwoarang couldn't tear his eyes away. He looked into the blood-red eyes and saw no recognition in them. Jin didn't even appear to be there, like he had lost control over his own body. The half raven, half man stood up and glared at Heihachi. The corner of his mouth turned up into an evil half grin.  
  
"The devil..." Heihachi exclaimed. He released Hwoarang and stepped back in awe. Kazuya looked on from his place by the altar and smiled knowingly. If Jin's devil form was half as violent as his, then things were about to get messy.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hello everyone! Sorry that's it's taken a while to get this chapter up, but I've been sick ;_; ! I'm all better now though, so to celebrate my wellness, I'm going to get writing the next chapter right now!  
  
Kaine xx 


	13. Even Devil's can still Love

Okay, here another one with a yaoi warning especially for all the yaoi- lovers out there, and especially for anyone who has rated this fic so far, thanks!! ^_^  
  
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"What are you waiting for??" Heihachi bellowed at the few Tekkenshu that hadn't fled in fear "Get him!!"  
  
The Tekkenshu armed their guns and opened fire on Jin. The bullets tore through him, but he stood, looking at Heihachi as though he hadn't felt it. Hwoarang stared open mouthed. Getting shot hurt, and yet even the automatic fire from the rifles didn't so much as make him blink. Heihachi was slowly backing away; things were apparently not going to plan. Jin lunged at him and brought him down, his grandfather's skull connected with the stone floor with a sickening crack. The Tekkenshu scattered, leaving their master at the devil's mercy. Kazuya was smirking. He beckoned to Hwoarang who scurried over to him making sure to keep his distance from Jin.  
  
"Stay here, and don't try anything" he instructed. Hwoarang nodded hastily. Kazuya's skin took on the purple shade again and he transformed. Hwoarang jumped back as Kazuya took off over to the doors of the hall and slammed them shut, preventing the escape of the Tekkenshu. The soldiers immediately opened fire on him, once again with no success. Hwoarang shrunk behind the altar, where he could see them but hoped they couldn't see him. Neither Jin nor his father were themselves, and Hwoarang wasn't about to be caught up in something he couldn't handle. He struggled at the shackles on his wrists but they refused to give. Jin picked Heihachi up by the collar of his coat and held him above his head.  
  
Heihachi actually looked scared for a moment, which Hwoarang found quite amusing. He struggled against Jin's grip, kicking out at him and scratching at his grandson's arms. Jin merely grinned at him. Flickers of red lightning spiralled around his body and he raised his free arm as if to strike Heihachi across the face. Hwoarang moved to get a better look and banged his head on the side of the altar where it stuck out. The shock caused him to fall back and knock a glass chalice down, shattering it on the stone. He froze. Jin turned around and spotted him, then smiled menacingly. Heihachi was dropped and knocked out cold when he once again hit his head on the floor. Kazuya saw Hwoarang starting to panic, and wiped out the last of the Tekkenshu. He transformed back into his human form and looked on. There was nothing he could do now. Jin advanced on Hwoarang slowly, his eyes shining brighter than ever. Hwoarang backed up until he hit the altar and could go no further. Jin stooped down and met Hwoarang's terrified eyes. The Korean forced a little smile. Jin stared intensely into his eyes, as if trying to read Hwoarang's soul, then grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him forwards.  
  
"Jin?" he said "Jin baby it's me, Hwoarang."  
  
Jin looked blankly at him, there was no recognition at all, it was as if Jin himself was gone and had been replaced by a total stranger.  
  
"Please Jin...don't do this" the Korean pleaded. Jin's body sparked with the red flickers again. Hwoarang let out a choked sob.  
  
'So this is it' he thought 'I'm going to be killed by the man I love? Funny, I always though I'd get shot'.  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the inevitable pain to come. When none came, he peeked to find Jin still staring at him, and though his eyes were still red, there was no sign of evil now. Hd stood up, pulling Hwoarang with him and looked over at Kazuya, who was surrounded by the groaning soldiers of the Tekkenshu. Kazuya nodded, and Jin pulled Hwoarang close to himself, held onto him tightly then, beating the huge black wings, took off and crashed up through the wooden roof of the hall out into the night sky.  
  
Hwoarang was thoroughly petrified as they soared up higher over the Zaibatsu and out over the glorious Japanese landscape. Jin reached behind Hwoarang and snapped the shackles off his wrists. He immediately threw his arms around Jin's neck and held on for dear life. The wind whipped at his face and he felt sick when he looked down upon the treetops of the forest below. He panicked when he realised they were slowly getting closer, and made up his mind to run as soon as they were back on solid ground. They landed smoothly and, as though he had read Hwoarang's mind, Jin kept hold of him to stop him running for it. Too exhausted to struggle, Hwoarang allowed himself to be carried into a small clearing in the trees and be sat down on the grass. Jin turned his back and looked up at the stars. The lightening sparked around him again, as his wings drew back into him as though they had never been there. Jin moaned softly and his legs gave way beneath him. He collapsed onto the grass and lay there shaking. Hwoarang crawled cautiously over to him and put his hand gingerly on Jin's shoulder.  
  
"Jin?" he asked. The black tattoos were still etched across Jin's chest and forehead. Hwoarang moved closer and tried again.  
  
"Jin? Are you there?"  
  
The Japanese moved slightly under his touch.  
  
"Did I hurt you?"  
  
"No, no you didn't."  
  
Jin sighed. His eyes opened, back to their usual deep brown.  
  
"Thank god..." he mumbled. He sat up and looked up at Hwoarang sadly. "I understand if you never want to see me again" he said "and I'm so sorry..."  
  
"What for?" Hwoarang cut in "You did nothing wrong, I mean Heihachi will probably need medical attention but let's face it, he deserved it right?"  
  
"It's not that" Jin explained, "I nearly lost it, I know I did. I could have hurt you or anything!"  
  
"But you didn't, you stopped yourself and that shows you have strength over...it."  
  
Jin smiled. Hwoarang gave him his trademark cocky grin and put his arms around his body and held him tight.  
  
"I don't give a shit if you're half demon or half angel or half anything, it doesn't matter."  
  
"Don't you dare go getting all soppy on me."  
  
"Love you darling."  
  
"And I love you, now how about we go?"  
  
"Can we walk this time? Flying scares me."  
  
Jin put on a look of mock hurt.  
  
"You saying I'm a bad flyer?"  
  
"Nope, I'm saying I hate heights, now let's go."  
  
The woods were fairly dense around them, and it took a while for the pair to get their bearings. They managed to find their way out of the forest and into a small village on the coast. It was deathly silent, the inhabitants probably in for the night. Hwoarang shuddered with cold and wished he had taken the time to find something to replace the shirt that was missing. He huddles closer to Jin and they wandered through the village streets in search of somewhere to either make a phone call or spend the night. They found both at a little B+B hotel called 'The Siamese Dragon'. The doors were open and an old man sat at the reception desk inside. He looked up, clearly disturbed to see two young men standing before him, topless, wet, cut, bruised and clinging to each other for warmth. Jin smiled in a friendly way, which appeared to scare him even more, so Hwoarang took over.  
  
"Long story" he began "do you have any rooms?"  
  
"What happened to you two?" the man asked. He looked them up and down, and Jin shuffled nervously. His tattoos were still clear and probably made him look much more formidable than he would have liked.  
  
"Like I said, long story" Hwoarang repeated "we really need a room tonight if you have one, and we've got no money so we'll wash dishes for you or something okay?"  
  
"Did you get attacked?" he asked, ignoring Hwoarang's request, "if you did I can call the police and they can find them..."  
  
"No thanks" Jin interrupted "just a room please."  
  
Not wanting to upset his guests, who by the look of them were probably professional wrestlers or bouncers, he agreed, giving them a room key and stating that his name was Mr. Hirasaki and to give him a call if they needed and anything, and not to worry about the charge. They thanked him and went off to find room 6. Like the whole building itself, the room was small but comfortable, decorated traditionally with paper screens, tatami mats and two futons on the floor. Hwoarang typically turned his nose up at them. In his knowledge, beds were high and had a space under them to shove random crap into when you couldn't be bothered tidying properly.  
  
"They're actually quite comfortable" Jin told him, seeing the frown. Hwoarang plopped down onto one and was still in relative disbelief that anything could be comfortable when there wasn't five inches of mattress under it. He didn't have much time to contemplate. Jin had pulled the other futon up against Hwoarang's to make a sort of 'double futon' and then pulled him down onto them from behind.  
  
"Paper walls" Hwoarang pointed out "I don't think this is such a good idea."  
  
"Were the only ones here besides the old guy downstairs", Jin whispered, "I don't think it's going to matter."  
  
Hwoarang grinned and kissed Jin. He slid out from under him and pinned him down. He softly kissed Jin's bare chest, being careful of the bruises that were starting to come up. His wet hair left little droplets of water on Jin's tanned skin, and they sparkled in the light. He discarded his jeans and threw them to the side (later, he would realise that since they were leather, wet and now in a crumpled heap on the floor, they would be nice and misshapen by tomorrow morning) and pulled the covers over. Jin worked his way out of his own pants and threw them somewhere, not caring where they landed. Hwoarang ran his fingers down Jin's body, over each perfectly toned muscle, and gently pushed his way into him. Jin moaned softly, trying his best not to cause too much noise and give them away. The redhead pulled out almost all the way then pushed in again, slowly going faster and harder. Jin gasped at the slight pain but didn't want to stop. He pulled Hwoarang closer to himself and groaned as he came. Hwoarang came a few seconds later and lay on Jin breathing heavily. He felt Jin's heat beating rapidly against his own chest.  
  
"So, where are we going tomorrow and how are we getting there?" he panted. Jin held him tighter and shrugged.  
  
"Don't know, don't really care", he answered "we can think about that in the morning but right now all I want to do is get some sleep."  
  
"Me too" Hwoarang agreed. He slid off Jin and spooned up against his side. Jin slipped his arm around Hwoarang's slender waist and closed his eyes. Despite how tired he felt, it seemed impossible for Hwoarang to sleep. Every little noise alerted him and the shadows from outside convinced him that there were people looking in on them. Visions of Heihachi finding them here flickered through his mind and he did his best to dismiss them as nothing but pathetic paranoia, but still the paranoia was there. He wanted to leave, get out of this little village and leave it in peace before they brought something terrible upon it, but he didn't have the heart to wake Jin now. His raven hair shone in the moonlight through the window, and his breathing was hypnotic. It soothed Hwoarang just knowing that Jin was here, sleeping with him. He settled down again, and was soon out like a light. 


	14. Cherry Blossom

Jin's sudden movement knocked him awake, and Hwoarang moaned something about "not wanting to go to school today mum..."  
  
"Baka..." Jin murmured, "You never went to school." Hwoarang opened one eye and peered up at Jin who was sitting up on the futon and glaring at the door as if daring it to slide open.  
  
"Whassamatta?" he asked in his half-asleep slur. Jin clamped his hand over Hwoarang's mouth and the Korean immediately understood that something wasn't quite right. He sat up slowly to minimise noise and listened hard. Voices and footsteps could be heard down the hall towards the reception, and they didn't sound friendly. The unmistakeably familiar rhythm of military style running came up the hall and slowed as it reached the door of the room. The pair scrambled up and into their clothes. A shadow appeared, just visible through the paper walls in the dim light of the early morning, and positioned itself outside the door. The voice accompanying it was all too familiar.  
  
"Jin Kazama, get your sorry ass out here!"  
  
"Oh shit!! Heihachi!! He's alive!!"" Hwoarang whispered as best he could whilst in a mad panic.  
  
Jin grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the back of the room, opened the window and practically threw the redhead through it then squeezed through himself. Jin landed on his feet then picked up the startled Korean, holding him tightly at the waist. His eyes flashed red and the tattoos appeared back on his chest and forehead.  
  
"Oh no..." was all Hwoarang managed to say before the huge black wings sprouted from Jin's back and they took flight for the second time in the last twenty-four hours.  
  
"Sister, can people fly?"  
  
Sister Rose looked down on the young boy sat on the old wooden chair in the middle of the orphanage infirmary. She cleaned up the trickle of blood on his grazed knee and put a band-aid over it. This kid always had plasters on his knees and elbows; he loved to climb trees all day. The huge jade eyes stared eagerly up at her from under the messy mop of red hair.  
  
"If they truly believe, a person can do anything they wish" she replied, then glanced at his knee "but no more trying to fly out of the apple tree, or you wont live to see your seventh birthday."  
  
He giggled.  
  
"So if I believe I can be a famous rock-star, I can?"  
  
"Of course you can."  
  
"And if I believe I can be a dinosaur I can?!"  
  
"With the help of some cardboard, paints and sticky tape, yes."  
  
"What about a kid with a mum? If I believe I can have a mum, then can I?  
  
Sister Rose sighed. It was hard to make the children explain why they didn't have parents, especially the abandoned ones.  
  
"I think you may have to stick with flying", she said gently, tossing the bloody cotton balls into the trashcan.  
  
Jin landed softly and let Hwoarang free from his vice-like grip. Less than an hour later and they were stood in a deserted park with the morning sun beginning to rise on the horizon to the East. Jin relaxed and returned to his normal self.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"Kyoto" Jin said, "I lived here when I was a kid for a bit."  
  
Hwoarang looked around the empty park. It was small but full of blossom trees and the surrounding city was just beginning to wake. A shout same from across the street then another responded, and a small group of young men came stumbling into view, on their way home from a night out. Jin took Hwoarang's wrist and pulled him away towards a block of apartments. They stayed in the shadows, out of view from the road and walked quickly along the pavement.  
  
"I've got friends here" Jin explained, "they will help us out, it's not far from here."  
  
They hurried around he corner and down into a dark alleyway. Creatures skittered across their path, probably rats or spiders, and disappeared into the walls on either side. The alley turned left and stopped.  
  
Two doors stood across from each other on the alley's sides. Jin knocked on one of them, and a noise like someone walking into a table came from the other side. The door was opened and two boys practically spilled out onto the concrete floor of the alley. They were giggling and hanging onto each other for support, quite obviously completely inebriated. One of them had bright blue hair, obviously dyed; the other didn't look like he could even see straight. The one with the blue hair looked up and grinned madly.  
  
"Jin!" he cried, "How's it goin'?"  
  
"Fine thanks, Chihiro" Jin replied. Chihiro hoisted the other boy, who had apparently passed out, up so he was standing more or less straight and dragged him inside the building, telling them to follow. Jin led Hwoarang through the door and closed it behind them. Inside, there were three other boys beside Chi and the unconscious one, who turned out to be Akira. The others introduced themselves as Junsei, Ichiro and Keitaro.  
  
Chihiro dragged Akira away to another room and reappeared with two clean shirts. He handed one to Jin and another to Hwoarang. They put them on; glad for the warmth they gave.  
  
"You guys want a beer?" Keitaro offered them. Jin shook his head, but Hwoarang nodded eagerly. If there was anything he wanted right now it was alcohol. Keitaro handed him one and they sat down.  
  
"So stranger" Junsei asked Jin "what brings you back here?"  
  
"Heihachi" he said, adding "for a change."  
  
"Oh shit! What's he up to now?" Ichiro broke in.  
  
"Trying to extract the devil gene again" Jin told them "He got me and Kazuya, and dragged Hwoarang along for the ride."  
  
"So you guys need a place to hide out?"  
  
"Would be appreciated yeah."  
  
"Sure" Ichiro said "take the spare room, we're not staying over today," he added, motioning to Junsei.  
  
Hwoarang had been listening to the conversation half assedly, more intent on finishing the contents of the green bottle in his left hand. He swallowed the last dregs and put the bottle down on the floor. The living room of the apartment, which he later found out had been a brothel at one point, was pretty big and decorated like a typical guys home. White walls, no pictures on them, two odd sofas and an armchair, TV and a rather impressive collection of porn on the shelf under it. Jin stood up and walked to the back of the room towards the stairs, so Hwoarang followed. At the top, there were two rooms ahead and one more to the right, which they took. It was powder blue inside, much like Hwoarang's own room at home. The huge window that looked out onto the cherry blossom park reminded him of the window in the dormitory back at the orphanage. Most of the kids had been scared of that window, thinking that if they went to close it would somehow break and they would fall through onto the concrete courtyard below. Hwoarang and Kei however, used to enjoy scaring the others by standing close to the window and leaning against the frame while Mina screeched at them to come away.  
  
The morning sun had risen over the hills in the distance, but Hwoarang was too tired to care what time of day it was. The last few hours had drained him completely, and he collapsed onto one of the two double beds in the room. Jin followed suit, neither bothering to change and they slept fully clothed, curled up together as morning became afternoon, and afternoon became evening.  
  
Noise on the street outside woke Jin with a start, and he woke Hwoarang by accidentally elbowing him in the ribs. Hwoarang groaned and rolled over, refusing to wake up just yet. The noise outside had been nothing more than a car horn beeping, and the city was alive with people travelling home from work. The park was lit up with decorative lights in the trees and around the paths of the gardens, and couples walked hand-in-hand among them. Voices downstairs announced that Chihiro, Keitaro and Akira were all awake and watching TV. Jin shook Hwoarang awake and the Korean shot him a glare that made Jin slightly worried. If looks could kill, Death would have been Hwoarang's name and Jin would have been well and truly six feet under. He pushed himself up, still frowning, and sat up on the bed.  
  
"Come on you" Jin said, grinning, "We're going out."  
  
"Where?" Hwoarang asked, rubbing his eyes awake.  
  
"To the park."  
  
Hwoarang frowned again.  
  
"You know, you're going to stick that way."  
  
"You're in a bloody good mood."  
  
"Of course I am. Were here in Kyoto, Heihachi isn't and we've got the whole park to walk around! How about it?"  
  
Hwoarang briefly considered his options. Stay here and sleep, or go out and have a nice, romantic stroll with Jin. The latter just marginally won.  
  
The park was beginning to empty by the time they got there, but that meant less people staring at them. There was a stream passing through the park and they walked over the bridge to the other side where the blossom trees where. The trees were not in flower, but still looked magnificent with the lights shining through the leaves. They sat down under one of the bigger ones and watched the lights of the city flickering, counting them, then loosing count and having to start over. The sky was littered with stars against the dark blue background and the shadows of the hills were faint on the skyline. Occasionally, a car went past or a couple walked through the park and over the bridge, but mostly they were alone.  
  
"Tell me about when you were a kid" Jin said. Hwoarang, who was leaning with his back against Jin's chest, turned a bit and looked up at him.  
  
"Well, I was abandoned, you know that."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And I was brought up by nuns, although I don't think their ways had that much of an impression on me. My best friends were Kei and Mina, but Mina left when we were six or so. Sister Rose was awesome though, she was like the resident agony aunt and she mothered us all to death."  
  
Jin listened intently. Hwoarang told him about everything he didn't already know. About meeting Xion and Ripley, about Black and the Hoods, about Wing, Baek and even about his landlord Bernie. The streets were quieter now; only a few people were still out this time of night. Hwoarang fell silent when he realised he had nothing more to tell, and Jin said nothing. They just sat under the blossom tree together, not having to speak o know what the other was thinking. Hwoarang turned around fully and kissed Jin. A couple walking past spotted the too boys making out and hurried past, frowning in disapproval. Hwoarang saw them looking back and burst out laughing. He fell back onto the grass and lay, staring up at the stars. His view was blocked when Jin appeared over him, kissed him and suggested they go back to the apartment. Hwoarang agreed and Jin took his hand to pull him up, then they set off for the apartment, hand-in-hand.  
  
Aww so sweet!! Hehe, I've not written in a while, so I apologise! But I've got three stories on the go at once now as well as trying to get stuff for school sorted out! I'm sleepy, I'm going to bed it's 22.38 at night! Hope you enjoyed   
  
Kaine xx 


	15. Kyoto

"My head hurts Sister..."  
  
"I know my darling, I know, but the doctors here will make it better, I promise."  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
"You fell out of that apple tree you and Kei are always climbing. You've broken your arm too. No, no don't move it, just rest now little one."  
  
"Sister Rose, when can I come home?"  
  
"Today I think, all the other kids are worried about you."  
  
Sister Rose smiled warmly, the way a mother does. She was like a mother to him after all. The redhead on the hospital bed looked up at her ad blinked. His eyes were tired and they fell shut as he drifted off again.  
  
Hwoarang woke up gasping for breath. His mind instinctively told him someone was trying to strangle him. He jerked away and turned to deliver hell to his assailant, then relaxed when he realised it was only Jin, who had unwittingly managed to get him in some kind of chokehold during the night. He smiled cheekily and snuggled closer to Jin, waking him up.  
  
"Sorry..." he whispered.  
  
"S'ok" Jin mumbled in his 'I'm-still-totally-knackered' post-sleep slur.  
  
Hwoarang kissed his shoulder and along to his neck kissed the back of it. Jin shivered at the touch and turned around to face Hwoarang, now fully awake and with a mischievous glint in his eye.  
  
Hwoarang grinned happily and moved so he was straddling Jin. The fact that they were already unclothed made things easier, but the heat of the moment also meant they failed to hear the knock on the door.  
  
"Jin? I was just wondering if...GYAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Jin yelped, Hwoarang looked like a rabbit in the headlights and Keitaro was covering his eyes and turning a bright shade of crimson.  
  
"Shit!" Hwoarang screamed and dove off the bed and into his jeans. Jin pulled the covers over himself and willed the ground to swallow him up. Keitaro was trying to find his way out of the door without the use of his eyes and ended up walking into the doorframe and screaming again. Akira had apparently heard all the shouting and came running down the landing and into the room.  
  
"What's going on?!" he asked. Spotting Jin lying in bed, blushing like a tomato and Hwoarang standing there topless looking very guilty, his question was answered for him. Keitrao crawled out of the room, also blushing and Akira just stood and stared.  
  
"Well...I umm...I'll leave you too it" he said as he left the room, closing the door.  
  
"Oh my FUCKING God!!!"  
  
Hwoarang collapsed onto the bed and covered his eyes with his arm.  
  
"Oh MY God!!!' he repeated, quieter this time. He turned his head to the side and looked along the bed at Jin who hadn't moved since concealing his modesty with the bed sheets.  
  
"That was a bit unexpected", he said. Hwoarang propped him self up on his elbows and looked straight at Jin.  
  
"Unexpected? Keitaro is going to be traumatised for the rest of his life!! I mean come on!! He didn't need to see that!! I didn't need him to see it!!"  
  
"He wont be bothered you know, he is open minded, they all are."  
  
"Kinda besides the point" Hwoarang mumbled. He rolled over onto his front and stuffed his head into the duvet. Jin gave a short laugh and slid out of the bed.  
  
"Come on, let's go out yeah?"  
  
"Before they throw us out?"  
  
"They wont. I meant let's go out and enjoy Kyoto while we're here."  
  
Hwoarang looked over his shoulder at Jin and smiled.  
  
"Yeah, I'd like that" he said.  
  
Kyoto was buzzing with people. Businessmen pushed past, carrying briefcases and chattering away on their phones. They found a little bar along the street and went in. The people inside stared at Hwoarang as he walked past, muttering away in Japanese.  
  
"Don't worry" Jin reassured him "it's your hair, it's not often a redhead is seen in Kyoto."  
  
They stood at the bar and ordered beer. The bartender, a pretty young girl with huge brown eyes handed them the glasses and smiled shyly at Jin. He smiled back and she turned away to serve another customer.  
  
"Do you always attract so many ladies?" Hwoarang asked him, nodding towards a small group of woman in the corner who were eyeing Jin up too. Jin turned around and grinned at them, making them blush and look away, giggling.  
  
"As egotistical as it sounds" Jin said, staring into the glass "yes, I do."  
  
Hwoarang gave Jin his patented cocky grin.  
  
"Ever get into any of them?"  
  
Jin frowned.  
  
"Well, there was a girl who I used to go to school with called Xiaoyu. We got very drunk at a party once and ended up making out on the couch and since then she followed me around like a lovesick puppy. Kazuya thought it was quite wonderful that I had a girlfriend and did everything he could to try and push us together. Inviting her round and on days out." He paused and smiled."She was nice enough but I was never really interested and I guess it took him a while to figure that out. I never had much interest in girls really, I just had better things to do with my time."  
  
Hwoarang looked back over his shoulder at the group of girls who had now turned their attention back to their conversation.  
  
"I've only ever been with one girl," he said "but she turned out to be a total bitch. Wing and the others told me to break it off; they saw it before I did but at the time I just figured they were jealous or something. I seriously should have listened to them."  
  
Jin drained his glass and Hwoarang followed suit.  
  
"Do you want to go?"  
  
"Sure, where too?"  
  
Jin looked thoughtful for a moment.  
  
"Don't know yet, let's just see okay?"  
  
Hwoarang nodded, set his glass down on the bar and tipped the barmaid. She smiled happily and said thank you. They were about to leave when the bas doors burst open and Kazuya stumbled in. He was looking worse for wear. His face was bloody and bruised, his shirt hanging in tatters from his body. All activity in the bar had stopped as everyone turned to face the battered newcomer. Kazuya looked up at Jin and grabbed his son's arm to steady him self.  
  
"Get...get out of...Kyoto..." he gasped. Jin stood frozen. Kazuya's grip tightened around his bicep.  
  
"Heihachi...go now..."  
  
"Jin, I really do think we should leave..." Hwoarang murmured. Jin looked up and saw Heihachi in the doorway, framed by hoards of Tekkenshu troops. He gave Jin a malicious half smile.  
  
"I see your pathetic wretch of a father didn't get to you on time" he said. Kazuya growled and span around.  
  
"Fuck you" he spat "you're pathetic, not us. All you want is power and control and you can't have it because you're obsolete in comparison! You think that this thing in us is something to be worshipped and it will give you all the power you want but it wont because you can't control the devil! No one can!"  
  
"That's no way to speak to your father" Heihachi said calmly. The Tekkenshu moved in closer and the customers moved father away. Hwoarang glanced quickly to his left and spotted a door, no doubt a back exit leading outside. Heihachi's eagle eyes noticed this and followed Hwoarang's gaze to the door.  
  
"I wouldn't..." he warned, and Hwoarang relaxed reluctantly.  
  
There was no way out of this. Hwoarang's hands clenched into fists at his side and he narrowed his eyes. He wasn't about to get taken down so easily again. Jin was staring intensely into his grandfather's eyes with pure hatred and Hwoarang saw his eyes briefly flash with the familiar blood-red tint. Kazuya's arm twitched slightly and he threw his body forward, knocking Heihachi back into the wall. He started laying his fists into Heihachi's face, not giving him a chance to retaliate. The Tekkenshu swarmed towards Jin and Hwoarang and the customers in the bar scattered for the doors. Hwoarang grinned and took up his stance, he felt like kicking some Tekkenshu ass...  
  
Yeeeeeeeees!!!!! Go Hwoa!!!! You kick their asses baby!!!! ahem... yes.... well anyway... gee, what is it with these guys and bar fights??  
  
Kaine xx 


	16. A Son's Hatred

Well, I'm back again and I apologise for it taking a while to update but I've been so bloody busy you wouldn't believe it. Anyway, you may have noticed that I've got two other stories on the go now aswell as this one so updates may be less frequent. Sorry! Go check them out too, if you want to I mean...  
  
"Ow! Bastard bit me!"  
  
Hwoarang launched the Tekkenshu soldier at the wall, knocking him out cold. He looked at his arm and saw two curved lines of teeth marks imprinted in his skin. Jin blocked an attack from another soldier and hit him square in the face in return. The soldier staggered backwards and fell over a chair. Hwoarang laughed and kicked him in the stomach. Most of the soldiers were backing off now, the rest were unconscious. Hwoarang sneered at them and they all flinched.  
  
"Come on" Jin said, "let's go."  
  
Hwoarang agreed. They made their way to the door, ignoring the frightened stares of the people in the bar.  
  
"Kazuya?" Hwoarang said as they neared the older man. He didn't look up. Hwoarang took his arm and pulled him to his feet. Heihachi's bloody face was barely recognisable. Kazuya was breathing heavily and his hands were stained red. He walked with them, not taking his eyes off his father. Heihachi twitched and Kazuya stopped.  
  
"Take him too ..." he said quietly. Hwoarang was puzzled but Jin nodded and picked up his grandfather. Hwoarang followed them out into the street. Kazuya's face took on the unusual purple shade again, and Jin's forehead became covered with black tattoos.  
  
"Oh no..." Hwoarang moaned. Jin grabbed him by his waist and took off into flight behind Kazuya, who carried Heihachi, leaving some very confused bar customers in their wake.  
  
"I think we should just kill him."  
  
"No, make him suffer, like he did to us."  
  
"Don't you think he's suffered enough?"  
  
"He never thought about that, did he?"  
  
"True..."  
  
"I think you should just leave him alone."  
  
Kazuya frowned at Hwoarang.  
  
"Look, he should suffer too," he said, pointing at Heihachi's unconscious body "he made us suffer! And you!"  
  
"Yes, but if you return the favour you'll only be lowering yourself to his level" Hwoarang reasoned. Kazuya scowled.  
  
"You know, he's right..." Jin said. Kazuya sighed. Heihachi lay on the grass of the clearing, totally unconscious. A bruise had formed on his forehead and dried blood clung to his cheeks.  
  
"So what are we going to do with him instead?" Jin asked. Kazuya shrugged.  
  
"Ask Mother Theresa over there" he replied. Hwoarang grinned.  
  
"I'm nothing like Mother Theresa" he said "but I think maybe...you should just leave him here?"  
  
"Alive?" Kazuya asked, slight disappointment rising in his voice.  
  
"Yeah, leave him here. It'll take him weeks to find his way out and by then he'll probably be half dead anyway."  
  
Jin agreed, and Kazuya glared at his father. His hands clenched into fists and he picked up Heihachi.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Kazuya!" Jin shouted. He didn't stop. The wings were back and Kazuya glared defiantly at them. The wings beat down and he lifted from the ground, taking Heihachi with him. Jin and Hwoarang shouted after him but he took no notice. They watched him disappear over the trees.  
  
"Shit..." Hwoarang whispered, "he's going to kill him..."  
  
"Yeah" Jin replied, putting is arm around Hwoarang's shoulders "but I think Heihachi had it coming a long time ago. It's really personal for Kazuya."  
  
"Why do you call him Kazuya?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, he's your father, so why do you call him Kazuya?"  
  
Jin hesitated.  
  
"It's hard for me to call him my father, after everything that's happened in the past..."  
  
"That's ok" Hwoarang said softly, smiling a little "tell me later. Right now I want to go home, okay?"  
  
"Sure" Jin replied.  
  
Ehhh.... Kinda short I know, sorry! But hey, it's gonna have to do for now. By the way, I've noticed that for some reason ff is changing the way all my stuff is layed out when I've uploaded it. Basically, it wont let me write in italics and when I try to separate stuff on the page it just bunches it back together and makes everything as one big long piece of writing when it shouldn't be! So, if anything is getting a bit hard to follow, I apologise but it's so not my fault! If anybody knows how to stop this happening, please let me know! It would be much appreciated!  
  
Kaine xx 


	17. Home Sweet Home

Oh my goodness!!! It's the final chapter! sob I wont say anything else, I'll just let you read!!!  
  
One week later  
  
The apartment was still completely trashed. Hwoarang sighed miserably and stared out the window upon the streets of Seoul. It would take him at least a week to clean it up entirely, and to make matters worse, Bernie had a huge rant at him when he got back for leaving the place in such a mess. Mr Lee next door was complaining about wild parties going on.  
  
'That old swine will do anything to get me evicted' Hwoarang thought bitterly. Jin appeared behind him and wrapped his arms around Hwoarang's waist, clasping his hands across the redhead's toned stomach.  
  
"It's going to take ages to clean this place up," Hwoarang muttered. Jin made a sound of agreement. The coffee table was in pieces on the floor, and there were still blood marks on the wall from Hwoarang's head. Jin held him tighter.  
  
"You could just leave it and move out" he suggested.  
  
"Oh yeah? Where to? I'm not going to find apartments with rent this cheap anywhere in Seoul, or Korea in general for that matter" Hwoarang replied, and went back to staring at the street.  
  
"Well, you don't have to live in Seoul" Jin said. Hwoarang turned around to face him.  
  
"What are you getting at, Kazama?"  
  
"Move somewhere else. Let's face it you hate your neighbour and your landlord, so what have you got to lose? And I thought you were out of the habit of calling me that."  
  
Hwoarang apologised and thought about this briefly, then shook his head.  
  
"The gang" he said "I don't think I could just leave them like that. Moving away from people you're close to isn't easy."  
  
"I wouldn't know" Jin said, "I'm not really that close to anyone, except you. I would hate it if you moved away from me though."  
  
"See my point?" Hwoarang asked, "I can't leave them, they're like family to me. And there's Baek too. They all mean a lot to me."  
  
"I know they do" Jin said softly "and I would never dream of making you leave them in a million years. You can leave this apartment though, easily right?"  
  
"Sure, no problems there except I doubt I could afford to keep up a more expensive place on my own."  
  
He looked around the tiny sitting room and sighed.  
  
"Who said anything about doing it on your own?" Jin asked. Hwoarang looked at him with a puzzled expression.  
  
"Are you suggesting that we..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Hwoarang grinned. He threw his arms around Jin's neck and held him tightly.  
  
"I like the idea" he said "in fact, I love it."  
  
"Good, I'm glad" Jin said, smiling. He kissed Hwoarang and whispered, "I love you" to him.  
  
"I love you too" Hwoarang replied, giving Jin a cute smile "Come on, there's someone I need to go and see."  
  
They walked to the cemetery together. It was quiet in there, as it always was, and Hwoarang led the way to Wing's grave.  
  
"Hey man" he greeted. Jin stood a little way back and Hwoarang sat in front of the headstone. "I've brought someone for you to meet. This is Jin, and yes we're 'involved' if you must know. Don't frown at me; you know how these things go. Anyway, you wont believe the way the past few weeks have been for me, but I know you watched it all happen, and I've got a sneaking feeling that you had something to do with the fact I'm still alive. Maybe you're my Guardian Angel? Hey who knows".  
  
He paused and Jin came up behind him. Hwoarang felt Jin's hand on his shoulder and he stood up.  
  
"Got to go Wing. I promise I'll behave myself, and I'll let the others know I'm okay tomorrow. Right now we're going home. See you soon."  
  
They walked back out of the cemetery and made their way back to the apartments. Bernie was waiting for them when they arrived with a sour expression to challenge any lemon. He tapped his rent book with a biro impatiently.  
  
"Look man" Hwoarang started "I've had a shit past few weeks and I'm moving out just as soon as I find a new place, which should be relatively soon actually, so I'll pay you tomorrow and then I'll pay what I owe and that's it, okay?"  
  
Bernie looked at him.  
  
"Fine" he said, "It'll be nice not to have Mr Lee complaining about all your wild parties. Just keep the place in one piece, got it?"  
  
Hwoarang nodded, and gave Bernie the finger as he waddled back to his room. Jin laughed softly at this and Hwoarang grinned.  
  
"Bed time I think" Jin said. Hwoarang agreed and they raced up the stairs to the apartment. Hwoarang had barely got the door open before Jin kissed him deeply, and they made their way to the bedroom, tugging at each other's clothes.  
  
Two hours later  
  
Hwoarang lay in Jin's arms, playing with his lovers raven hair. Jin tightened his hold on Hwoarang's slender waist.  
  
"I love you Hwoa," he said gently. Hwoarang grinned; he would never get tired of hearing that.  
  
"I love you too," he said back. A knock at the door made him stiffen, and the voice that followed made him want to cry with irritation.  
  
"Hwoarang? Hwoarang get your ass out here!!" Bernie yelled. Hwoarang groaned and got out of the bed and dressed quickly in anything he could find. Jin did the same, and followed Hwoarang to the door. Beyond it were Bernie and Mr Lee.  
  
"Fuck..." Hwoarang mumbled.  
  
"What are you doing in there?! Mr Lee woke me up saying it sounded like you were trying to knock the wall down! And he said he heard screaming! I want an... what are you smiling at?"  
  
Hwoarang looked back over his shoulder at Jin who was unable to keep himself from smirking. It made Hwoarang grin too, and it wasn't long before Bernie and Mr Lee caught on.  
  
"Oh God...you're not..." the old man started.  
  
"We'll see you later" Hwoarang said cheekily, grinning as he closed the door. The last image he saw before it slid into its frame was the look of total horror on their faces. Jin burst into laughter immediately and Hwoarang's eyes sparkled with mischief. He stood right next to the door and began to moan and scream. Jin got the idea, and joined in. Soon, they heard footsteps hurrying away down the hall, and burst into laughter again.  
  
Hwoarang calmed down first, and a rare look of seriousness crossed his face.  
  
"Hey, I've just thought. Do you think Kazuya went through with it?"  
  
Jin looked up; teas of laughter streaming down his face.  
  
"I don't know" he managed to say "probably, but I couldn't say. He's a weird guy."  
  
"You're telling me..."  
  
"If he didn't kill him, then I should imagine he hurt him a lot."  
  
"Do you think he'll come back? Kazuya I mean... do you think we'll see him again?" Hwoarang asked. Jin put his arms around Hwoarang and held him.  
  
"I don't know," he said, his voice wavering a little.  
  
"If we do" Hwoarang said "I'll hit him, then buy him a drink."  
  
Jin laughed. The redhead grinned in his usual cocky way.  
  
Within the next hour, they were both blissfully drunk and sat on the couch in the sitting room eating breadsticks.  
  
"This brings back a few memories," Hwoarang said with a cheeky grin.  
  
"Yeah" Jin agreed "Maybe we should rein act it all?"  
  
"I'm up for that" Hwoarang said, his grin turning into a seductive smile "right after I answer the door."  
  
Jin hadn't even heard the knock, but Hwoarang got up, taking his beer with him, and stumbled to the door. After a bout of giggling from nearly falling flat on his face, Hwoarang finally managed to get the door open.  
  
"Oh hello Kazuya!" he said, a little too loudly "Want a beer?"  
  
Jin appeared behind Hwoarang and looked curiously into the hall.  
  
"Hwoa... there's no one there."  
  
"There is! Look, say hi to your dad Jin!"  
  
"I think you've had a little too much to drink" Jin said softly, leading Hwoarang to the bedroom and setting him down to on the bed. The Korean fell asleep almost right away.  
  
Jin lay next to him and clicked off the bedside lamp. Hwoarang fidgeted a bit then lay still. His mind ran away with him, and old memories came flooding back in his dreams.  
  
flashback  
  
"Where did you live when you were younger?" Sister Rose smiled warmly as the memories came back. The redhead sat in front of her had grown into a real young man, he would be leaving soon. She thought carefully about her answer.  
  
"I've lived in many places" she said "but I like it here best."  
  
"So where are you from then?" the youngster asked, his jade eyes full of curiosity.  
  
"Oh, here and there" she said "just here and there. There are parts of me all over the world, but the biggest part is right here."  
  
end flashback  
  
Kazuya watched from the fire escape outside the window, his arms folded across his chest. The moonlight flowing through the window highlighted the two figures in the bed, wrapped in each other's arms. He should disapprove of this, as a father, but he knew Jun would have been supportive. He had always taken her side in the end anyway, and old habits die-hard. He smiled and left.  
  
Hwoarang woke, wondering what the noise had been. It was only very slight, outside the window. Jin slept beside him, breathing gently. Hwoarang took a quick look out the window and smiled.  
  
"He didn't kill him," he whispered to Jin, who didn't reply. He lay back down and closed his eyes.  
  
Aww! It's done! I feel quite sad...grabs Kleenex And Kazuya does have a heart! I don't know why I didn't kill Heihachi... I guess it just didn't seem right, plus I didn't want to end this with more death! I think that's justified Well, I enjoyed writing this, and it's taken a while to do but I'm quite proud of it. Thank you to everyone who has given me support, including both people from ff.net and those from school who read this too, this one's for you guys.  
  
Kaine xx 


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